EDITED  BY  HENRY  SUZZALLO 

PROFESSOR   OI-    THE    PHILOSOPHY   OF    EDUCATION 
TEACHERS  C  JLLEGE,   COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 


THE  T  3:AGHING  OF 
CIVICS 

BY 

MABEL   HILL 

INSTRUCTOR   IN    HISTORY  AND  CIVICS 

POST  GRADUATE  DEPARTMENT,   DANA  HALL  SCHOOL 

WELLESLEY,   MASSACHUSETTS 


.^^» 


HOUGHTON   MIFFLIN   COMPANY 

BOSTON  NEW   YORK    AND    CHICAGO 


■ 'V 


COPYRIGHT,   I914,   BY  MABEL  HILI, 
ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED 


CAMBRIDGB  .  MASSACHUSETTS 
U   .   S   .   A 


CONTENTS 

Editor's  Introduction    ...••.*     v 

Part  I 
The  Problem  of  Civics  Teaching 

I.  Civic  Education  in  the  Schools    ...  3 

II.  Old  and  New  Methods  of  Teaching  Civics  9 

III.  Civics  in  Child  Life 13 

IV.  Civics  for  Older  Pupils 20 

Part  II 
Suggestions  for  the  Teaching  of  Civics 

V.  The  Function  of  the  Suggestive  Lessons 

presented 33 

VI.  Suggestive  Lessons 37 

Outline 145 


/ 


^    (  - 


EDITOR'S  INTRODUCTION 

We  have  come  at  last  to  a  sound  notion  of  teach- 
ing civics  in  the  schools.  Long  experience  with 
traditional  modes  of  instruction  has  indicated 
their  failure,  and  teachers  now  turn  to  a  more 
direct  application  of  important  principles  of  peda- 
gogical procedure  long  urged  by  the  practical 
psychologist  and  recently  verified  by  careful 
experimental  work. 

For  a  generation  past  the  teaching  of  civics 
aimed  at  little  more  than  the  acquisition  of  \ 
knowledge  about  government.  It  was  assumed 
that  the  school's  function  did  not  extend  beyond 
an  intellectual  treatment  of  social  and  political 
welfare.  The  subject-matter  was  formal  and 
necessarily  barren,  remote  from  ordinary  hiunan 
interests,  and  more  remote  still  from  any  con- 
cerns of  children.  In  the  earlier  years  it  consisted 
of  a  study  of  the  mechanics  of  government 
through  analysis  of  the  fundamental  law  as  pro- 
vided by  constitutions  and  charters.  More  re- 
cently the  social  functions  of  government  have 
been  given  t&e  chief  place  in  school  study,  and 
political  structure  has  been  made  secondary.  On 

v 


EDITOR'S  INTRODUCTION 

the  whole,  the  kind  of  information  given  under 
the  latter  regime  is  more  useful  and  interesting 
than  that  required  earlier,  but  it  is  still  quite 
remote  from  the  civic  problems  most  likely  to 
press  themselves  upon  youth. 

Persisting  disappointment  in  the  results  of 
civics  teaching  has  caused  considerable  experi- 
mentation, and  out  of  these  new  failures  and  suc- 
cesses well-defined  principles  have  been  evolved. 
These  constitute  the  standards  for  selecting  con- 
crete materials  for  instruction,  special  methods 
of  presentation,  and  modes  of  transition  from  one 
topic  to  another.  These  controlling  principles  or 
considerations  it  may  be  well  to  state. 

(i)  It  is  now  clearly  perceived  that  the  initial 
point  of  departure  must  be  a  study  of  those  par- 
ticular phases  of  our  group  life  which  fall  well 
Within  the  intimate  circle  of  the  child's  personal 
affairs.  It  is  in  the  active  concerns  of  child  life 
that  those  habits  of  critical  investigation  and 
active  cooperation,  so  important  in  mature  civic 
life,  are  to  be  established.  The  opportunity  for 
vital  instruction  is  to  be  found  in  those  activities 
of  children  which  originate  in  their  spontaneous 
interests  —  in  their  sociable  play,  in  their  group 
games,  in  their  competitive  athletics,  in  their 
student  organizations,  in  their  government  of  the 

vi 


EDITOR'S  INTRGDUGTION 

school  grounds,  and  in  their  cooperative  activities 
of  every  sort.  Here  the  relations  of  individual 
participation  and  group  cooperation,  of  social 
function  and  political  control,  are  easily  made 
clear,  because  they  are  seen  in  connection  with 
interests  and  necessities  immediately  stirring  in 
the  lives  of  the  children. 

(2)  Once  the  experiences  of  children  have  been 
fully  utilized  to  develop  better  social  attitudes 
and  more  competent  cooperation  in  connection 
with  their  own  vivid  interests,  the  foundation  for 
further  growth  is  provided;  the  teacher  has  only 
to  follow  witlLpatience  the  gradually  expanding 
civic  relationsj)f^  children.  The  margins  of  the 
child^s  life  are  always  extending;  he  is  constantly 
becoming  aware  of  a  larger  world  through  the 
conversations  of  his  family,  the  comments  of  his 
neighbors,  and  his  daily  readings.  It  is  easy  for 
the  teacher  to  enrich  the  pupil's  interest  in  the 
neighborhood's  effort  to  maintain  cleanliness  and 
beauty,  in  the  municipality's  attempt  to  keep 
peace  and  order,  and  in  the  State's  effort  to  regu- 
late industrial  relations.  If  the  teacher  will  only 
invoke  it,  the  child's  imderstanding  of  the  need  of 
collective  action  in  his  own  small  affairs  can  be 
made  to  interpret  the  larger  group  responsibili- 
ties of  neighborhood  and  town.  Comprehension 

vii 


EDITOR'S  INTRODUCTION 

of  his  part  in  still  larger  units  —  in  State,  Nation, 
and  world  —  remains  as  a  natural  later  step. 

(3)  The  teacher's  task  will  neither  begin  nor 
end  in  mere  intellectual  appreciation  of  civic 
relations.  The  end  of  good  teaching  goes  beyond 
understanding;  it  involves  sensitiveness  to  obli-j 
gation  and  the  development  of  a  willingness  and 
ability  to  act  with  other  men  for  the  common 
good.  From  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  teaching, 
the  chief  aim  should  be  to  get  the  child  to  perform 
his  part  in  civic  life.  It  will  be  a  small  and  frag- 
mentary part  at  first,  simply  because  life  starts 
with  few  and  small  contacts.  But  whatever  need 
the  teacher  can  get  the  child  to  feel  and  under- 
stand, that  need  he  must  seek  to  realize.  Action 
is  the  goal  of  civics  teaching. 

(4)  Meanwhile  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that 
real  activity  is  one  of  the  best  resources  in  the 
teaching  of  children.  In  the  teaching  of  civics  it  is 
used  both  as  end  and  as  ways  and  means.  The 
child  who  has  tried  to  participate  in  any  given 
situation  will  have  a  sense  of  reality  about  it  that 
can  never  be  had  from  conversations  or  books. 
He  comes  away  from  it  with  an  accurate  under- 
standing that  indicates  the  meaning  and  value 
of  details  which  otherwise  would  be  dull  and  for- 
mal to  him.  His  actions  have  pointed  his  mind  so 

viii 


EDITOR'S  INTRODUCTION 

as  to  observe  pertinent  truths,  and  he  comes  to 
the  classroom  ready  to  have  his  problems  dis- 
cussed, his  knowledge  augmented,  and  his  inten- 
tions better  controlled.  Because  he  has  been 
participating  in  life  itself,  he  will  want  to  take 
an  active  part  in  every  classroom  activity  which 
flows  from  it,  —  in  discussion,  reading,  or  inves- 
tigation at  first  hand. 

(5)  It  is  inevitable  that  a  conception  of  civics 
teaching  which  makes  action  rather  than  know- 
ing the  end  of  teaching  will  greatly  enhance  the 
educational  value  of  all  school  activities  outside 
the  classroom;  indeed,  of  all  the  child's  institu- 
tional memberships  outside  the  school.  Home, 
playgroimd,  and  neighborhood  life  will  be  the 
laboratories  where  civic  truths  are  to  be  experi- 
enced, learned,  and  tested  out.  The  classroom 
exercise  will  occupy  a  supplementary  if  not  a 
secondary  position.  It  will  be  a  formal  meeting 
where  children  gather  to  discuss  their  social 
affairs,  much  as  citizens  go  to  a  club  or  a  town 
meeting.  Here  they  will  report  their  problems, 
exchange  information,  propose  solutions,  and 
assign  parts,  emphasizing  the  constant  common 
obligation  of  each  little  citizen  and  designating 
the  special  committees  with  particular  tasks. 
Throughout  these  stated  classroom  meetings,  the 

ix 


EDITOR'S  INTRODUCTION 

teacher  will  be  the  natural  leader.  Out  of  his 
superior  wisdom  he  will  stimulate  and  supervise 
the  group,  suggesting  methods  and  appraising 
achievements. 

To  aid  teachers  in  the  application  of  these  vital 
principles  of  the  new  teaching  of  civics,  a  volume 
of  very  concrete  suggestions  is  here  offered.  It 
has  been  prepared  by  a  teacher  of  unusual  schol- 
arship in  the  command  of  materials  needed  for 
interesting  and  competent  study,  one  whose  in- 
sight into  the  mental  life  of  children  has  been 
gained  by  actual  contacts  that  make  her  psycho- 
logy and  pedagogy  sure.  , 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

I 

THE  PROBLEM  OF  CIVICS 
TEACHING 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 


CIVIC  EDUCATION  IN  THE  SCHOOLS 

The  new  humanities  in  college  and  university 

The  awakening  of  the  civic  conscience  and  its 
immediate  materialization  in  the  movement  for 
social  betterment  has  nowhere  functioned  with 
more  permanent  interest  than  in  the  work  of  the 
college  and  university.  Through  newly  developed 
courses  in  "PoKtical  and  Social  Science"  it  has 
been  made  possible  for  students  to  get  a  close 
view  of  the  various  ramifications  of  society. 
Twenty-five  years  ago  it  was  almost  impossible 
to  find  an  opportunity  in  any  institution  of  learn- 
ing to  investigate  social  activities.  In  no  other 
century  has  it  been  deemed  necessary  or  expedi- 
ent for  the  great  body  of  students  at  large  to  take 
into  consideration  the  bases  which  go  to  make  up 
society  —  the  family,  the  home,  the  community, 
the  city,  the  State,  the  Nation,  each  with  its  own 
several  relationships  with  the  other,  and  all  with 
their  connections  with  the  evolution  of  civiliza- 


:7tfe  TEAcmN    of  civics 

tion  itself.  President  Woodrow  Wilson  well  calls 
these  essentials  ''the  new  humanities/'  With  the 
introduction  of  a  study  of  vital  problems  of  the 
political  and  social  order,  a  new  interest,  both 
himianitarian  and  philosophic,  has  been  aroused, 
which  exceeds  any  other  academic  interest  ever 
presented  in  imdergraduate  work. 

It  matters  little  what  a  college  student  decides 
to  investigate  along  the  lines  of  political  and 
social  science;  whatever  topic  he  takes  for  his 
first  work  he  finds  engrossingly^  absorbing.  It 
may  be  the  labor  question,  yet  it  often  ends  in 
a  minute  consideration  of  a  detail  of  a  larger 
subject;  immigration,  for  illustration,  embraces 
many  phases  of  national  life,  any  one  of  which 
needs  concentrated  attention,  such  as  housing, 
sanitation,  or  rapid  transportation.  The  point  is, 
that  the  moment  the  student  finds  himself  at 
work  upon  some  one  topic  of  human  interest,  all 
else  becomes  submerged  in  the  problem  which  has 
been  offered  him  for  solution. 

The  need  of  civic  ediication  in  elementary  and 
secondary  schools 

The  college  and  the  university,  however,  are 
not  the  public  schools.  And  the  mind  of  the 
nation  is  not  the  college-bred  mind.  Rather,  it  is  a 

4 


CIVIC  EDUCATION  IN  THE  SCHOOLS 

mental  product  developed  from  elementary  edu- 
cation, supplemented  in  part  by  the  secondary 
schools,  and  by  the  ever-increasing  knowledge 
accumulated  from  daily  experience. 

If  we  are  to  make  sure  that  the  mind  of  the 
public  is  growing  commensurately  with  the  col- 
lege mind  of  the  minority^f  the  nation  at  large 
is  to  enter  upon  a  civic  awakening,  and  the  major- 
ity is  to  take  part  in  the  betterment  movement, 
as  a  democratic  whole  should  take  part,  it  be- 
hooves the  public  school  world  to  develop  a 
course  in  civics  which  in  a  measure  will  corre- 
spond to  the  college  courses  in  political  and  social 
science. 

The  education  of  the  individual  for  himself 
alone  has  had  its  day;  a  day  that  saw  great 
advancement  and  that  was  sufficient  for  its  gen- 
eration. Not  only  were  the  tools  of  education 
generously  meted  out  to  all  alike,  through  our, 
great  public  school  system,  but  to  a  certain 
extent  the  treasures  of  the  liberal  arts  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  sciences  were  shared.  Music* 
and  drawing,  history  and  geography,  literature 
and  oratory,  were  taught  in  the  public  schools 
that  the  soul  of  youth  might  have  the  largest 
inspiration.  This  individualistic  education,  how- 
ever, has  not  wrought  the  miracle  of  good  citizen- 
s' 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

ship.  Individualism  has  neglected  the  principles 
of  reciprocity,  comradeship,  and  fellowship.  Too 
much  emphasis  cannot  be  laid  upon  the  need  for 
every  pupil  in  school  to  become  proficient  and  effi- 
cient with  the  tools  of  education.  But,  after  all, 
reading,  writing,  spelling,  and  number  work  are 
tools  and  tools  only.  Moreover,  the  acquisition  of 
the  knowledge  of  literature  and  history,  the  knowl- 
edge of  scientific  facts  concerning  the  world,  are 
not  of  necessity  in  themselves  material  which 
goes  toward  the  making  of  that  one  conditioned 
good  in  the  universe,  the  principle  of  good  will. 
Already  the  demand  that  education  shall  fit  a 
youth  for  the  general  welfare  or  common  good 
of  a  community  is  bringing  about  a  reorganiza- 
tion of  school  life.  The  rural  school  looks  toward 
a  public  school  system  which  shall  train  the  chil- 
dren for  agriculture.  In  industrial  centers  trade 
schools  are  developing  as  rapidly  as  States  and 
municipalities  can  appropriate  money  for  them. 
But  whether  education  is  to  fit  a  man  for  a  life  in 
the  country  or  for  one  in  factories  and  shops,  he 
must  be  trained  in  citizenship  in  order  to  take  part 
in  either  phase  of  social  life.  In  order  to  foster  in- 
telligence in  civic  life  there  should  be  created  intel- 
ligent sympathy  with  it,  as  well  as  a  knowledge  of 
civic  interests  themselves.    Civic  activities  must 

6 


CIVIC  EDUCATION  IN  THE  SCHOOLS 

be  talked  about,  read  about.  The  younger  gen- 
eration must  be  made  to  think  along  the  lines 
of  civic  betterment.  From  the  kindergarten  to 
the  university  there  Jias  been  evolved  a  habit  of 
reading.'  Every  one  reads*  some  thing — the  sign- 
boards, bulletin  boards,  newspapers,  magazines, 
books.  In  like  manner  a  habit  of  mind  should  be 
developed  to  read  and  talk  and  think  in  civic 
terms  anent  civic  ideals.  If  our  National  Govern- 
ment should  undertake  to  demand  any  one  course 
of  study  in  the  immediate  future  of  the  public 
school  work,  it  would  do  well  to  insist  that  in 
every  school  in  every  town  iiLeyeryState  there  be 
taught  the  relationship  of  man  to  civic  life  and 
man's  obligation  to  his  home,  to  his  neighbor-, 
hood,  and  to  his  country.  Could  this  be  brought 
about  the  results  would  be  strikingly  marked. 
Communities  would  develop  the  spirit  of  good 
will  to  so  large  ah  extent  that  the  nation  would 
become  altogether  different  from  any  other  nation 
on  the  earth. 

Such  a  civic  crusade  in  the  schools  will  mean 
more  money.  But  there  can  be  no  better  use  of 
the  increasing  wealth  of  the  country  than  to  edu- 
cate future  citizens  in  civic  activity.  Good  citi- 
zenship cannot  be  reached  through  glittering  *- 
generaHties  as  to  loyalty  to  country.  The  growth 

7 


-         THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS  ^ 

of  a  better  civic  life  will  come  slowly  through  a 
knowledge  of  facts  as  to  how  the  business  of 
a  municipality  or  other  community  is  run  —  an 
active  cooperation  whenever  the  opportunity 
offers  itself.  The  man  who  knows  what  the  Pure 
Food  Laws  mean,  and  is  alive  to  the  enforcement 
of  these  statutes,  will  if  need  be  exert  himself  to 
see  that  they  are  executed.  The  old  bliss  in  igno- 
rance may  do  for  the  individuahs tic  person.  The 
citizen  belonging  to  the  era  of  collectivism  sees, 
feels,  and  acts  for  the  common  good. 


.\ 


II 


OLD  AND  NEW  METHODS  OF  TEACHING 

CIVICS 

The  most  significant  change  in  the  presentation 
of  material  in  civics  classes  lies  in  the  attempt  to 
readjust  the  approach  to  the  study  of  govern- 
ment, from  theory  and  definition  to  practical 
illustrations,  as  working  out  in  actual  life  in  the 
environment  of  the  pupils.  It  is  a  concession  that 
"teaching  from  the  known  to  the  unknown'^  is 
no  pedagogical  aphorism,  but  sound  judgment. 

The  old  method 

The  old  method,  found  in  every  textbook  upon 
government,  presented  historical  data  —  the 
story  of  the  growth  of  the  government,  accom- 
panied by  definitions  of  terms  and  phrases  which 
had  in  themselves  developed  through  the  passage 
of  years.  Oftentimes  these  same  textbooks  gave 
pages  and  pages  to  the  discussion  of  the  machin- 
ery of  government  rather  than  to  any  active  work 
done  by  the  government.  The  pupils  who  studied 
these  same  textbooks  were  expected  to  know  the 

9 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

definitions  "by  heart,"  although  any  practical 
application  was  seldom  asked. 

If  one  reads  the  dreary  array  of  words  anent 
the  terms  which  included  the  process  of  impeach- 
ment, which  were  among  the  so-called  important 
paragraphs  which  all  pupils  should  know,  they 
proved  dreary  words  only.  There  was  no  mental 
picture  of  a  real  impeachment!  No  personaHty  of 
the  one  impeached.  The  grind  of  teaching  such 
subject-matter  was  nothing  to  the  grind  of  learn- 
ing it.  Yet  teacher  and  child  alike  went  through 
the  act  of  "  give  and  take  "  in  definition  and  expla- 
nation without  one  serious  moment  of  comment 
upon  the  practicability  of  the  topic  under  consid- 
eration. "Clause  2,  section  2,"  which  covers  the 
qualifications  of  a  Congressman,  only  becomes 
vital  and  of  any  possible  use  when  we  begin  to 
discuss  our  own  district's  appointee  to  Congress. 
Then  our  class  rallies  to  the  "legislative  require- 
ments" with  interest.  Is  Mr.  K.  eligible?  How 
old  is  he?  Was  he  a  resident  of  the  State?  —  and 
so  on.  The  theory  and  the  facts  coincide  for  the 
time  being.  The  facts  of  the  machinery  of  govern- 
ment in  one  particular  case  are  functioning.  That 
is  all.  And  that  is  all  that  could  possibly  be 
expected  from  the  study  of  machinery  in  the 
classroom. 

10 


METHODS  OF  TEACHING  CIVICS 

Investigations  and  reports  on  civic  teaching 

Very  recently  the  American  Political  Science 
Association  has  appointed  a  Committee  of  Seven 
to  investigate  the  work  of  teachers  who  have 
already  begim  the  crusade  of  teaching  better 
citizenship  in  the  schools.  This  committee  will 
prepare  and  publish  a  full  syllabus  of  its  ideas  and 
ideals  in  the  near  future.  The  National  Munici- 
pal League  is  also  at  work  upon  a  similar  in- 
vestigation with  the  intention  of  publishing  its 
information  at  a  later  date.  Many  less  noted  as- 
sociations that  are  devoting  themselves  to  sec- 
tional interests  are  equally  alive  to  this  new  sub- 
ject of  investigation,  and  reports  and  syllabi  are 
constantly  appearing,  each  bearing  the  hallmark 
of  interest  and  enthusiasm,  even  if  no  association 
as  yet  has  offered  a  perfectly  satisfactory  outline 
for  a  program  of  work. 

In  the  Report  of  the  Committee  of  Eight  of  the 
American  Historical  Association,  delivered  in 
print  through  Charles  Scribner's  Sons'  in  1910, 
the  committee  felt  impelled  to  add  a  brief  syllabus 
in  civics,  although  their  field  of  investigation  was 
history  per  se.  In  their  brief  summary  of  what 
should  be  undertaken  in  the  elementary  schools 
they  have  expressed  the  fast-spreading  belief  that 

II 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

sociology  in  some  form  should  permeate  the 
entire  life  of  the  child.  To  quote  in  part:  — 

The  special  aim  in  teaching  civics,  therefore, 
should  be  to  help  the  child  realize  himself  as  a  mem- 
ber of  each  political  group  that  does  work  for  him. 
It  should  help  him  to  realize  as  concretely  and 
vividly  as  possible:  — 

1.  What  the  most  important  things  are  that  are 
done  for  its  members  by  each  group. 

2.  That  there  is  a  division  of  labor  among  groups 
of  town,  city,  State,  Nation,  each  in  the  main 
doing  the  work  that  is  needed  by  its  own  mem- 
bers. 

3.  The  general  way  in  which  the  members  of  each 
group  do  their  work. 

4.  That  there  should  be  a  reciprocal  exchange,* 
honest  service  for  honest  support,  between 
members  of  each  group  —  "  the  pubHc  "  and 
the  smaller  number  of  members  —  "  the  office- 
holders" —  who  are  the  chosen  to  have  special 
charge  of  the  work  of  the  group.  ^ 


Ill 

CIVICS  EST  CHILD  LIFE 

As  one  follows  the  outlines  as  suggested  by  the 
Committee  of  Eight  of  the  American  Historical 
Association,  he  finds  ample  opportunity  to  bring 
before  the  class  not  only  the  "groups"  that  repre- 
sent actual  working  political  activities,  but  much 
social  work  that  is  being  accomplished  directly 
imder  the  eyes  of  the  children,  and  which,  when 
once  brought  to  their  attention  as  matters  to 
think  about,  will  furnish  admirable  lessons  in 
good  will  and  social  service.  How  can  little  chil- 
dren take  part  in  the  better  citizenship  movement 
may  be  asked  of  the  little  "junior  citizens  "  them- 
selves. If  each  day  this  question  is  persistently 
discussed,  and  the  ideals  of  active  good  citizen- 
ship are  shown  the  child,  surely  he  will  at  least  be 
a  knowing  boy  and  later  a  knowing  man,  even  if 
he  does  not  become  a  willing  man.  The  habits  of 
mind,  however,  will  have  been  so  de^^^d_and 
broadened  by  the  constant  social  ^iidpolitical-. 
interests  that  consciously  orunconsciouslv hejadlL, 
taEe  part  in  the  world  movement  for  good,  and 

13 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

cooperate  at  least  in  promoting  the  general  wel- 
fare of  the  environment  in  which  he  lives.  How 
can  the  small  boy  in  the  first  primary  grade  help? 
He  can  help  positively  and  negatively.  He  can 
help  keep  the  streets  clean  and  the  garden  in  his 
home  attractive.  He  can  refrain  from  throwing 
papers  gTwj_Jniit.  fikirifi  rarf^lpRsly  on  the  street. 
He  can_telLthe_exact  trutbJx>-gupolic-eman.  He 
can  deny  himself  the_spQrLof_throwmg_stQnes  at 
birds  or  lamp-posts.  This  very  small  boy  is  said 
to  be  a  menace  to  society  by  some  people.  The 
teaching  of  better  citizenship  should  make  it 
possible  to  alter  such  a  stigma  upon  a  child  of 
seven. 

Civics  in  the  home 

Childrenjeam^to  do  things  by  doing.  So,  too, 
they  learn  to  think  things  by  practice  in  thinking. 
There  are  many  things  to  think. about  and  prac- 
tice for  the  children  of  seven.  They  can  help  in 
the  home  by  obedience  andjgatience,  by  good 
manners  and  prompt  action  when  calJedL  upon jpr 
service.  In  the  home  there  is  the  health^feyery 
one  to  be  thought  about.  If  littlechildren  learned 
to  help  in  no  other  way,  their  assistance  in  the 
crusade  against  flies  and  possible  germs  will  mean 
real  service.   In  the  schoolroom  orderliness  and 

14 


CIVICS  IN  CHILD  LIFE 

neatness,  promptness  and  willingness,  are  small 
but  important  obligations  which  can  establish 
good  citizenship  principles  for  later  business  in 
larger  relations.  These  simple  but  most  essential 
habits  of  thinking  and  practice  are  the  civic  ties 
which  can  be  best  developed  with  very  little 
children.  Patriotism  may  come  to  them  in 
momentary  emotion,  when  patriotic  songs  are 
sung,  when  the  flag  drill  takes  place,  and  when 
beautiful  memory  gems  are  repeated  by  older 
pupils  and  teachers.  Stories  and  pictures  have 
great  influence  without  doubt  in  shaping  the 
character  which  stands  for  civic  virtue,  but  in  the 
last  analysis  it  is  the  home  and  its  ideals  which 
foster  the  first  seeds  of  true  knowledge,  unselfish 
service  to  one's  family  and  town  and  State.  One 
cannot  have  perfect  citizenship  without  perfect 
citizens. 

The  kindergarten  has  made  much  of  family  ties 
and  friendships,  especially  at  Thanksgiving  time 
and  Christmas.  But  in  the  formative  years  of  the 
school  it  is  well  to  emphasize  the  fundamentals 
of  society  not  only  twice  in  the  year,  but  during 
every  day  in  the  year.  The  duties  and  obligations 
of  the  members  of  the  family,  the  authority  and 
sacrifice  of  the  parents  and  obedience  and  helpful- 
ness of  children,  should  be  subjects  of  frequent 

15 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

discussion.  Where  homes  are  beautiful,  children 
should  be  taught  to  appreciate  them.  Where  for- 
tune has  not  been  so  kind,  it  is  well  that  they 
should  be  instructed  in  the  ideals  and  realities  of 
the  happiest  and  noblest  family  relationships  in 
order  that  they  may  look  forward  to  such  homes 
later  in  their  lives. 

The  child  who  has  the  blessing  of  parents 
should  be  made  to  look  upon  the  fatherhood  and 
motherhood  which  he  enjoys  as  gifts  from  God. 
Our  American  children  have  been  allowed  to 
think  too  much  of  themselves  as  "the  gifts"! 
Ancestral  worship  will  not  come  amiss  in  our 
adoption  of  Oriental  fashions.  What  is  a  home 
to  the  child  of  sorrow  over  its  first  broken  doll  if 
there  be  no  mother  to  help  sympathize;  or  a 
father  to  forgive  the  boy's  first  broken  "toy  com- 
mandment"? 

Again,  the  conjunctive  nature  of  the  child  is 
first  stirred  into  rich  response  by  the  relationship 
with  "cousins,"  first,  second,  and  once  removed. 
These  are  family  ties,  important  and  of  vast 
influence  in  shaping  the  larger  interests  of  chil- 
dren. So,  too,  are  our  talks  relating  to  "neigh- 
bors," and  to  those  who  are  in  pain  or  who  suffer 
from  age  or  poverty.  As  the  school  and  home 
shape  the  child's  mind  in  looking  at  and  dwelling 

i6 


CIVICS  IN  CHILD  LIFE 

upon  these  conditions,  so  that  mind  will  develop 
in  after  years. 

" He  spelled  all  the  words  in  the  lesson! "  That 
is  a  meritorious  record  to  take  home  —  to  a 
"mother."  But  there  will  be  no  tears  in  the 
mother's  eyes.  If  the  record  comes,  however, 
''Tom  stayed  on  his  way  home  from  school  to 
play  with  Dick,  the  lame  boy  at  the  corner," 
there  is  reason  for  the  mother's  heart  to  quicken. 

Civics  on  the  playground 

The  boy  should  spell  correctly.  It  is  worth 
more  to  the  parent,  however,  to  learn  that  he  is 
thinking  of  others  in  his  playtime  than  that  he 
takes  great  pride  in  that  which  is  a  part  of  the 
daily  program.  In  school  of  all  places  the  thought 
of  friendship-making  and  of  comradeship  and 
service  can  be  guided  with  the  surest  result.  The 
playground  movement  is  furthering  to  a  large 
degree  the  idea  of  fellowship.  The  old  order  of 
things  in  the  schoolroom  persists  in  a  discipline 
which  was  devised  to  aid  in  individualism.  It  will 
take  a  long  time  to  bring  about  a  classroom  order 
which  shall  stand  behind  collectivism.  In  the 
interim,  however,  fortunately,  the  supervisors  of 
playgrounds  and  recreation  centers  are  evolving 
ideas  which  shall  mean  "fair  play,"  team  work 

17 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

that  "plays  up  to  the  game,"  and  all  such  splen- 
did cooperative  ideals  that  mean  life,  society, 
highest  civilization.  On  the  playground  the  boy 
and  girl  learn  "ego"  by  gaining  a  knowledge  of 
"alter."  The  individual  does  not  lose  himself  in 
these  new  relations.  He  simply  becomes  better 
acquainted  with  his  own  possibilities.  At  the 
same  time,  while  playing  with  others  he  becomes 
a  part  of  the  whole  with  the  spirit  of  sacrifice  for 
the  good  of  the  whole.  The  ideas  of  leadership 
which  develop  on  the  playgrounds,  the  necessary 
government  which  grows  out  of  groups  playing 
together,  the  ideals  of  loyalty  to  the  group,  are 
basic.  They  represent  in  the  child-world  what 
organized  society  means  in  the  adult  relationships 
of  life. 

Civics  in  neighborhood  life 

Fellowship  on  the  playground  will  invariably 
mean  helpfulness  and  interest  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. Community  laws  will  be  observed  once 
they  are  made  to  mean  that  which  a  child  can 
understand.  "Trespassing  oiff  or  on  goals"  will 
be  steps  toward  trespass  laws  on  others'  property. 
Any  neighborhood  will  feel  the  effect  of  organized 
play  and  supervision  where  the  center  has  been 
doing  its  work  for  a  year  or  two.  Actual  relations 

i8 


CIVICS  IN  CHILD  LIFE 

in  a  community  for  children  cannot,  of  course, 
be  very  positive.  Rather  the  principles  should  be 
enforced  of  letting  one's  neighbors  live  their  lives 
without  interference.  But,  after  all,  that  is  not 
quite  enough  to  teach  children.  Readiness  to 
help  others  may  extend  beyond  the  family  do- 
main. Now  and  then  to  do  an  errand  for  a 
neighbor,  to  help  in  actual  work,  to  offer  sym- 
pathy, even  to  rejoice  with  one's  neighbor,  these 
are  little  acts  which  are  seeds  sown.  The  harvest 
will  surprise  the  growing  child  himself.  Each 
little  "junior  citizen"  will  keep  his  eyes  open  in 
the  neighborhood.  He  will  look  at  the  environ- 
ment as  if  it  were  his.  What  goes  wrong  he  will 
note  and  report  at  home;  what  goes  well  will  in- 
terest him  and  satisfy  him  in  his  own  curious, 
childish  way.  As  soon  as  he  knows  that  his  own 
and  his  family  welfare  depend  upon  the  health 
and  happiness  of  the  neighborhood's  health  and 
happiness,  he  will  feel  a  small  but  earnest  share 
in  the  life. 


IV 

CIVICS  FOR  OLDER  PUPILS 

The  extension  of  civic  interests 

The  pupils  in  the  older  grades  who  study  civics 
may  be  permitted  to  go  beyond  the  limitations 
of  life  in  home  and  school  and  community.  All 
about  the  daily  life  of  city  children  are  mimicipal 
activities  full  of  significant  interest.  The  boy 
knows  intimately  the  work  of  the  police  and  fire 
departments.  He  watches  the  construction  of 
sewers  and  streets.  He  is  old  enough  to  under- 
stand the  superintendency  of  the  school  depart- 
ment, and  to  begin  to  value  its  generous  plans  for 
his  playmates  and  himself.  Many  months  of  the 
year  he  is  enjoying  the  parks  and  playgrounds 
controlled  by  the  city.  His  teacher  should  bring 
before  his  attention  the  social  and  humanita- 
rian benefits  that  accrue  from  such  municipal 
domain. 

Local  points  of  attack 

In  the  tiny  hamlet  where  but  a  dozen  children 
are  gathered  together  and  taught  in  a  little  school, 

20 


CIVICS  FOR  OLDER  PUPILS 

or  where  the  same  children  are  carried  to  a  con- 
solidated school  at  a  center,  in  either  case,  as  well 
as  in  the  larger  wards  of  a  great  city,  this  vivify- 
ing of  life  in  its  conjunctive  relationship  is  the 
important  and  pleasurable  task  for  the  teacher 
of  socialized  civics.  From  the  outset  the  teacher 
realizes  that  not  only  are  there  the  local  points  of 
attack  to  make  with  the  work  of  the  Commission 
of  Charity,  or  the  Board  of  Health,  or  other  muni- 
cipal departments,  but  national  and  state  rela- 
tionships are  also  in  the  environment  to  explain 
and  to  discuss  and  to  give  reason  for  apprecia- 
tion. The  child  in  the  city  school  may  well  be 
shown  exhibits  of  the  difference  between  a  clean 
and  an  unclean  market.  And  from  such  an  illus- 
tration as  a  basis  to  work,  the  splendid  advance 
made  by  our  Government  in  Pure  Food  Laws 
may  be  explained  to  any  child  a  dozen  years  old. 
The  post-office  service  in  urban  and  rural  dis- 
tricts is  another  national  department  of  govern- 
ment which  can  be  studied  in  the  schools  of  town 
or  city  alike.  Immigration  is  a  subject  that  every- 
where touches  the  school  in  city  or  country. 

Converting  intelligence  into  will 

After  the  teacher  has  mastered  the  matter  of 
civics  per  se^  after  she  has  been  able  to  present  in 

21 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

the  classroom  the  activities  of  local  and  federal 
and  state  governments,  and  brought  before  the 
child's  mind  the  needs  of  our  country  along  the 
expansion  of  social  and  political  life,  —  after 
she  has  presented  the  knowledge  itself,  comes  the 
far  greater  task  of  making  sure  that  this  newly 
acquired  intelligence  has  been  so  absorbed  that  it 
gives  an  impulse  to  the  will  of  the  child,  which 
shall  become  active.  To  inspire  patriotism  which 
will  mean  wisdom  in  looking  at  political  efficiency 
and  far-reaching  utility  for  all  concerned  —  that 
is  another  matter.  Yet  that  is  the  point  of  attack. 
It  matters  little  whether  a  boy  knows  very  much 
about  our  treaty-making,  if  he  has  no  sound  prin- 
ciple in  regard  to  our  duty  in  keeping  our  word 
with  nations  with  whom  we  are  making  treaties. 
It  is  of  little  importance  whether  a  boy  under- 
stands the  organization  of  the  police  department 
unless  he  appreciates  the  difference  between  a 
police  force  which  takes  graft  and  bribes  and 
which  neglects  its  duty,  and  one  which  maintains 
its  honesty  and  efficiency  even  when  tempted  by 
corrupt  men.  All  the  knowledge  of  political  life 
and  its  machinery,  and  the  activities  which  are 
opening  up  our  country  and  broadening  its  in- 
fluence and  power,  will  go  for  worse  than  naught 
unless  splendid  principles  are  laid  down  which 

22 


CIVICS  FOR  OLDER  PUPILS 

show  why  government  of  the  people  and  for  the 
people  and  by  the  people  should  be  a  govern- 
ment of  individual  men  who  are  honest,  who 
are  magnanimous,  and  who  are  ready  to  serve, 
loyally,  devotedly,  sacrificially. 

In  concrete  explanation  of  this  belief  in  the 
usefulness  of  citizenship,  three  elements  go  far 
toward  making  the  good  citizen  in  the  commu- 
nity in  which  he  lives.  He  is  a  neighbor  as  well 
as  a  family  man.  Those  relationships  go  without 
saying.  We  appreciate  the  citizen  who  is  true  to 
the  family  ties  and  to  his  community  as  friend. 
But  he  has  a  political  relationship  that  comes  to 
him  with  his  franchise  and  his  majority.  He  is  a 
voter.  He  may  be  called  upon  in  the  courts  as  a 
juryman,  and  he  may  offer  himself  or  at  times  be 
impressed  into  the  service  of  the  militia.  These 
citizenship  relations  should  be  explained  and 
interpreted  to  the  children,  especially  to  the  boys, 
with  the  greatest  care.  There  lies  behind  the 
pageantry  of  the  militia  great  service;  there  Hes 
behind  the  jury  box  tragedy  as  well  as  law;  there 
lies  in  the  ballot  box  a  term  of  honest  public 
efficiency  or  a  term  or  more  of  ill-gotten  gains  and 
corruption. 

A  preparation  for  social  and  political  duties 
includes  the  constant  teaching  of. ethics.    The 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

future  health,  moral  health  in  politics  and  there- 
fore in  the  nation,  lies  in  the  hollow  of  the  hand 
of  education.  She  is  a  giant  creature.  She  has 
immense  power  for  good  or  bad;  this  Education 
with  a  head  of  Wisdom  and  a  frame  of  Truth  and 
a  heart  of  Happiness.  But  heart  and  head  and 
frame  together  must  so  be  utilized  through  judi- 
cious and  continual  exercise  that  a  resultant  shall 
be  felt  in  good  will.  To  be  exact  and  specific,  the 
lawless  boy  should  become  mannerly  in  carriage 
and  dress.  He  will  not  spit  on  the  sidewalks;  he 
will  not  throw  stones;  he  will  not  worry  the  cat; 
he  will  not  break  lamp-posts.  Moreover,  he  will 
be  positive  and  not  simply  negative,  for  he  will 
help  a  situation  when  he  sees  a  need.  If  some- 
body's ash  barrels  have  been  left  out  or  forgotten 
and  the  street  is  made  unsightly,  the  boy  will 
take  pleasure  in  rolling  the  barrels  into  the  yard 
or  the  alley.  That  will  illustrate  active  service. 
The  boy  who  begins  by  helping  goes  through  life 
with  ready,  intelligent  hands.  Then  this  same 
Education  will  stimulate  mental  fiber.  The  boy 
will  think  "good  citizenship  "  in  larger  terms  than 
he  would  have  if  it  had  not  been  discussed  in 
home  and  at  school.  He  will  note  money  appro- 
priations and  he  will  tg^lk  about  the  use  of  the 
money.   He  will  congratulate  the  city  upon  its 

24 


CIVICS  FOR  OLDER  PUPILS 

development  or  be  troubled  that  the  money  has 
not  seemed  to  be  spent  wisely  or  well.  'S^ 

And  the  joy  that  comes  always  from  service 
and  intelligence  will  be  an  immediate  product  of 
his  helpfulness  and  his  growing  ideas.  His  moral 
fiber  will  have  been  increased;  his  moral  nature, 
strengthened.  Having  become  interested,  he  will 
have  become  active,  and  hence,  unless  actually 
degenerate,  he  will  be  in  the  future  ^^  willing  for 
good:'  / 

Supplementing  texts  with  other  materials 

There  are  recent  textbooks  which  will  aid  the 
teacher  largely  in  acquiring  general  information 
concerning  municipal  activities.  But  no  one 
textbook  can  offer  the  precise  material  necessary 
to  fit  the  occasion  of  any  one  school  environ- 
ment. Hence  the  local  publications,  from  the 
officials  who  have  the  expenditure  of  money  for 
the  city  or  town,  are  the  next  most  helpful  data. 
For  instance,  the  freshly  printed  report  of  the 
School  Committee,  oftentimes  a  real  essay  upon 
furthering  education,  is  one  of  the  necessary 
reports  we  mean.  So,  too,  the  reports  of  the 
Street  Department,  of  the  Boards  of  Health  and 
Charity,  and  so  on,  every  one  of  which  is  filled 
full  of  *'dry  statistics"  if  one  so  looks  upon  the 

25 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

printed  matter,  or  filled  with  data  alive  with 
personal  interest  to  every  taxpayer  and  taxpay- 
er's child,  who  is  reaping  the  benefit  of  such 
expenditures  and  plans  for  future  outlay. 

For  state  and  national  information  there  are 
similar  reports.  If  the  boys  undertake  to  carry 
on  the  correspondence  with  the  state  and  national 
departments  in  this  work,  it  aids  in  their  letter- 
writing  and  in  the  art  of  graciousness,  for  letters 
must  be  courteous  and  gratefully  expressed  if  an- 
swers are  to  be  insured  and  helpfulness  gained. 

Collecting  materials  as  a  service  to  the  school 

Little  by  little  the  children  will  get  together 
data  for  their  investigation.  Magazine  articles 
will  be  brought  to  the  class.  The  World^s  Work 
is  one  of  the  four  or  five  good  monthlies,  teem- 
ing with  information  concerning  these  vital 
problem-lessons. 

Here  the  Httle  girls'  fingers  are  useful.  These 
articles  should  be  preserved,  and  it  will  help  if, 
instead  of  "making  boxes  in  the  manual  training 
class,"  the  girls  learn  to  cut  out  magazine  articles 
and  bind  them  and  mark  them  in  orderly  fashion. 

Thirty  children  in  a  class  of  social  cooperation 
or  civics !  Three  articles  a  year.  That  would  not 
be  too  much  to  expect  from  each  boy  and  girl. 

26 


CIVICS  FOR  OLDER  PUPILS 

And  what  will  have  occurred?  Ninety  well- 
bound  sketches  put  into  shape  for  reference  for 
the  second  year's  class  that  will  enter  as  the  first 
class  goes  on  into  the  next  grade.  This  coopera- 
tion, this  leaving  a  permanent  contribution 
behind,  may  have  its  own  influence  upon  the 
class  as  well  as  the  spiritual  possession  of  subject- 
matter  which  the  class  takes  with  it. 

What  with  magazine  sketches  and  daily  news- 
paper cuttings,  with  reference  books  and  *4ast 
reports,"  the  work  will  progress.  The  collection 
of  pictures  is  one  that  aids  in  vitalizing  the  work. 
Some  few  children  may  wish  to  keep  their  own 
collections  of  "present-day  statesmen,''  or  "big 
constructions,"  or  illustrations  of  work  done  in 
any  one  department.  But  we  have  found  that  a 
general  book  for  all  the  pictures  collected  has  in  it 
an  element  of  comradeship  that  is  good  for  the 
class,  and  leaves,  as  also  in  the  case  of  the  bound 
magazine  articles,  a  permanent  influence,  mate- 
rially and  spiritually,  in  the  room.  Too  much  of 
either  at  present  cannot  be  developed.  Thus, 
beginning  at  an  early  age  to  give  to  an  alma 
mater,  it  should  foster  an  attitude  of  mind  that 
will  eventually  mean  a  larger  appreciation  of  the 
great  alma  mater  —  modern  public  school  edu- 
cation —  an   appreciation   which   will  lead   to 

27 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

greater  appropriations  of  money  for  the  teaching 
force,  and  to  the  further  development  of  present 
ideals  for  communities,  which  now  are  suffering 
from  inability  to  meet  practical  plans  as  well  as 
ideals  of  the  most  advanced  educators. 

Before  our  schools  can  command  the  enormous 
sums  of  money  now  spent  upon  the  armaments 
for  war,  education  must  prove  itself  as  loyal  and 
useful  to  humanity  as  have  the  armies  of  the 
nation.  We  believe  that  the  time  is  not  far 
removed  when  such  an  attitude  will  have  been 
reached  by  the  teaching  force  and  the  pupils 
themselves.  Then  and  then  only  shall  we  see  the 
flag  with  the  white  band  floating  over  our  school- 
houses  by  the  authority  of  the  United  States. 

Intelligence  anent  government;  service  in  civic 
relations;  loyalty  to  national  ideas;  a  patriotism 
which  means  to  live  for  one's  city  and  State  and 
Nation;  that  state  of  mind  and  that  only  will 
make  for  good  will. 

The  teacher* s  method  of  cooperation 

A  serious  challenge  has  been  thrown  down  by 
the  leaders  of  social  betterment;  this  challenge 
the  public  school  teacher  meets  in  undertaking  to 
aid  in  the  advance  of  the  knowledge  of  economic 
and  political  and  social  science.  From  the  outset 

28 


CIVICS  FOR  OLDER  PUPILS 

teachers  have  been  attempting  to  interest  the 
pupils  in  the  subject,  and  to  construct  out  of  the 
many  plans  now  actively  offered  a  working  basis 
for  civic  study  well  adapted  to  elementary  and 
secondary  school  needs.  The  civic  movement 
among  teachers  has  come  to  stay,  and  it  will  stay 
because  the  teacher  has  awakened  to  the  dignity 
as  well  as  to  the  duty  which  she  holds  in  shaping 
the  citizens  of  our  nation. 

At  the  outset  the  teacher  of  civics  will  need, 
not  so  great  knowledge  as  earnest  enthusiasm 
and  willing  cooperation.  She  will  be  an  inter- 
preter and  not  a  definer  of  facts.  The  class  will 
bring  data  to  her;  with  her  superior  mind  and 
larger  experience  she  will  be  a  leader  or  guide, 
resolving  the  material  into  parts  of  importance. 
She  will  share  her  knowledge  with  the  pupil, 
gaining  knowledge  also  through  the  pupils'  inves- 
tigations. She  will  not  give  them  commands 
what  not  to  find  and  what  not  to  look  for;  it  will 
be  her  mission  after  data  have  been  discovered  to 
differentiate  which  is  worthy  and  which  for  the 
special  point  in  hand  is  unnecessary. 

Could  anything  be  more  inspiring  for  the  really 
eager  teacher  than  such  a  new  method  of  teach- 
ing and  studying !  Cooperation  in  the  schoolroom 
would  do  away  with  so-called  discipline  to  a  large 

29 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

degree.  Exchange  of  personal  investigations  in 
the  class  will  lead  to  a  new  spirit  of  fellowship 
that  before  another  generation  will  be  felt  in  a 
larger  field  of  service  after  school  days  are  over. 
This  fellowship  will  be  felt  in  the  family  and  in 
the  neighborhood;  it  will  not  only  introduce  a 
new  and  free  relationship  between  teacher  and 
pupil  because  of  cooperation,  but  it  will  establish 
habits  of  investigation  and  discussion.  The 
teacher  and  pupil  would  have  to  meet  on  the  same 
plane  of  daily  investigation. 


II 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  TEACHING 
OF  CIVICS 


THE  FUNCTION  OF  THE  SUGGESTIVE 
LESSONS  PRESENTED 

The  aim  of  this  manual  is  to  show  the  need  of 
teaching  civics  in  elementary  and  secondary 
schools,  and  to  present  a  method  which  appeals 
to  the  pupiFs  mind  and  which  at  the  same  time 
functions  in  the  activity  of  the  pupil.  The  sug- 
gestive lessons  are  meant  to  create  an  intelligent 
interest  in  the  agencies  that  exist  in  every  com- 
munity to  promote  the  welfare  and  social  better- 
ment of  its  citizens.  Moreover,  the  purpose  of 
the  book  goes  further,  and  presents  the  idea  of 
good  citizenship  as  something  in  which  every 
child  and  every  young  man  and  woman  may  and 
should  take  part  actively.  Cooperation  is  the 
keynote  in  these  suggestive  lessons. 

The  nature  of  the  topics  chosen 

The  subjects  chosen  for  discussion  refer  to 
municipal  and  state  and  federal  government 
agencies,  which  for  the  most  part  are  in  evidence 
constantly,  either  before  one^s  very  eyes  or  in 

33 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

current  conversation  through  the  newspapers 
and  magazines.  Public  health,  public  recreation, 
and  public  utilities  are  part  of  daily  life  in  every 
community.  So,  too,  are  such  agencies  as  em- 
ployees of  the  Post-Office  Department  and  of 
the  Agricultural  Department.  Supervision  of  pure 
foods  and  pure  drugs  has  its  power  through  state 
and  national  authority.  Immigration  and  natu- 
ralization touch  every  community.  In  fact,  the 
world  enters  every  home  through  local  interest. 
Many  important  topics  concerning  government 
activities  have  had  to  be  treated  very  briefly  or 
omitted  altogether  from  lack  of  space  between  the 
covers  of  this  book. 

Timeliness  in  their  use 

These  lessons  are  not  designed  to  meet  the 
needs  of  any  one  or  two  grades.  On  the  contrary, 
the  book  is  meant  to  present  suggestions  to  teach- 
ers of  all  grades  and  to  persons  who  are  interested 
in  furthering  good  citizenship  through  social  set- 
tlements and  civic  clubs.  The  successful  method 
of  teaching  civics  lies  in  its  specific  and  practical 
appeal  to  the  students.  An  immediate  issue  aris- 
ing gives  immediate  occasion  for  presentation  of 
the  subject.  For  instance,  when  a  class  is  study- 
ing connnunity  health,  if  a  disastrous  conflagra- 

34 


FUNCTION  OF  SUGGESTIVE  LESSONS 

tion  should  occur  in  the  community,  the  wise 
teacher  should  set  aside  the  day's  lesson  in  health, 
and  at  once  discuss  the  matter  of  a  city's  protec- 
tion against  fire.  Or  if  the  newspapers  should 
announce  that  an  ambassador  had  been  recalled, 
or  a  minister  of  the  legation  dismissed,  the  teacher 
should  leave  the  allotted  subject  under  discussion 
and  discuss  our  international  relationships  under 
the  control  of  the  federal  Department  of  State. 
Elasticity  of  method  is  necessary  in  presenting 
civic  topics  because  civics  at  best  is  but  a  presen- 
tation of  human  welfare  in  its  manifold  workings 
through  local  and  national  authority. 

The  use  of  digests  and  summaries 

In  spite  of  the  plea  for  elasticity  and  originality 
in  teaching  civics,  the  group  of  lessons  which  fol- 
low, if  taught  with  intelligence  and  enthusiasm, 
offer  a  method  which  will  prove  effective  and 
which  will  function  in  cooperation.  The  black- 
board digest,  which  is  suggested  as  the  means  of 
organizing  general  information,  will  focus  the 
ideas  of  the  pupils.  Moreover,  it  offers  opportu- 
nity for  a  composite  piece  of  work  upon  which 
all  minds  may  concentrate,  children  and  teacher 
alike.  Sight  as  well  as  sound  joins  with  thought. 
The  oral  or  written  resumes  which  finally  serve 

35 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

as  class  recitations,  after  the  teachers  have  tabu- 
lated on  the  blackboard  all  the  data,  do  not  need 
to  be  wholly  confined  to  the  topics  connected. 
Such  summaries  should  if  possible  cover  a  wider 
range  of  material  gathered  by  the  children  from 
reference  books  and  sight-seeing.  But  for  class- 
work,  while  material  is  being  organized,  the 
blackboard  digest  is  invaluable.  However,  digest 
and  summaries  together  would  be  of  little  actual 
value  in  furthering  real  citizenship  if  to  the  knowl- 
edge itself  were  not  added  the  good  will  of  the 
class.  Actual  cooperation  with  every  agency  in 
the  community  must  be  the  aim  of  the  work  to  be 
accomplished  by  the  teacher  and  pupils  by  this 
group  of  topical  lessons. 

Because  health  in  the  community  is  of  great 
importance,  and  because  it  touches  the  life  in  the 
home,  the  school,  and  the  neighborhood  at  the 
same  time,  the  agencies  at  work  to  preserve  health 
and  to  prevent  disease  offer  very  vital  lessons  for 
discussion  at  the  outset.  Each  home,  each  com- 
munity, each  city  and  State,  has  its  own  peculiar 
problems  connected  with  the  subject  of  health, 
and  these  should  be  dealt  with  specifically  by  the 
teacher. 


VI 

SUGGESTIVE  LESSONS   ^ 

I.  Community  health 

Introductory  discussion 

The  teacher,  in  order  to  interest  all  the  class  in 
the  subjects,  opens  the  discussion  with  the  follow- 
ing questions  or  similar  ones:  Why  are  all  children 
vaccinated  who  attend  the  public  schools?  What 
is  an  epidemic?  What  are  contagious  diseases? 
Why  are  children  removed  from  the  school  when 
members  of  the  family  have  been  exposed  to  con- 
tagious diseases?  What  is  meant  by  quarantine? 
What  precautions  are  sometimes  used  to  prevent 
the  spread  of  disease,  besides  the  quarantine  of 
the  person?  When  is  fumigation  necessary?  Have 
any  of  you  in  your  homes  had  to  call  upon  the 
Board  of  Health?  Why  should  notices  be  posted 
by  the  Board  of  Health  when  members  of  a  house- 
hold have  contagious  disease? 

The  teacher,  having  made  a  point  of  contact 
between  the  children  and  their  home  experience^ 

37 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

may  organize  the  material  upon  the  blackboard 
in  the  form  of  a  digest. 

TOPICS   FOR   THE   BLACKBOARD 

_X4)  What  the  community  does  to  take  care  of  its 
health. 

Inspection  of  water  and  sewerage;  care  of  waste, 
especially  of  garbage  and  household  rubbish;  inspec- 
tion of  drainage,  plumbing,  pubHc  and  private  sani- 
tation; inspection  of  tenement  houses,  barns,  out- 
houses, shops,  railroad  stations,  stores,  factories, 
electric  cars,  schools,  pubHc  buildings.  Investigation 
of  public  and  private  complaints;  orders  for  quaran- 
tine in  contagious  diseases;  orders  for  fumigation; 
inspection  of  milk  and  food  supplies,  and  of  farmers' 
products  brought  to  market;  establishment  of  labo- 
ratories to  analyze  water  supplies,  dairy  supplies; 
study  of  germ-culture  for  the  immediate  cure  of  dis- 
eases and  for  the  prevention  of  diseases;  supply  of 
vaccine,  antitoxin,  and  antidotes;  appointments  of 
city  physicians  (one  or  more) ;  cooperation  with  city 
hospitals  and  institutions;  drug  supplies  and  medical 
supervision  in  schools. 

The  discussion  of  these  topics  will  not  only  enlarge 
the  general  information  of  all  the  members  of  the 
class,  but  greatly  increase  their  appreciation  of  social 
justice.  That  a  community  is  willing  to  appropriate 
and  spend  money  to  protect  its  individuals  because 
they  cannot  protect  themselves  becomes  a  very  live 
subject  for  pupils  to  think  about. 

38 


COMMUNITY  HEALTH 

(B)  How  the  children  can  help  the  community  take  care 
of  its  health. 

This  material  maybe  grouped  under  three  heads: — 
(i)  Health  in  the  Home.  Physical  health;  fresh  air 
at  night  in  the  sleeping-rooms;  moderate  exercise 
during  the  day;  nourishing  food,  as  far  as  possible; 
knowledge  of  the  way  to  eat  and  when  to  eat;  plenty 
of  fresh  water;  sufficient  manual  labor;  frequent 
baths  (hot  for  cleanliness,  cold  for  vigor) ;  aired  and 
clean  clothing;  special  care  of  hair,  teeth,  and  nails. 

(2)  Cleanliness  in  and  about  the  House.  Clean 
floors,  windows,  and  furnishings;  fresh  air  in  the 
house;  burn  papers  and  all  refuse  as  far  as  possible; 
full  flush  of  water  in  closets;  frequent  use  of  disinfect- 
ants; special  care  of  refrigerators,  bread  jars,  milk 
bottles;  personal  inspection  of  sink  drains,  removal 
of  garbage  and  ashes;  keep  house  free  from  fli<S  (most 
important — explain  why),  care  of  gardens  and  yards. 

This  group  of  topics  (2)  should  make  an  appeal  to 
all  children.  The  home  should  feel  the  reaction,  for  a 
while  at  least.  Doubtless  the  refrigerators  and  bread 
jars  will  be  inspected  by  the  girls,  and  the  boys  will 
ransack  barns  and  outhouses.  If  these  laws  of  health 
are  taught  in  the  schoolroom,  the  children  will  soon 
be  able  to  carry  into  their  homes  much  valuable 
knowledge,  especially  when  the  parents  are  foreign- 
born. 

(3)  Cooperation  with  City.  Keeping  health  ordi- 
nances; such  as,  not  to  spit  in  public  places  or  on 
sidewalks;  not  to  neglect  fumigation  when  necessary; 

39 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

not  to  forget  to  notify  the  Board  of  Health  when  un- 
sanitary conditions  exist;  not  to  neglect  to  notify 
them  when  diseases  develop  that  are  contagious. 
(Examine  city  Board  of  Health  Regulations.) 

Further  discussion 

Next  show  the  necessity  for  a  Board  of  Health  in 
cities  in  order  to  protect  the  health  of  the  many  who 
cannot  take  care  of  themselves  because  of  the  con- 
gested conditions  of  the  city.  These  data  can  be 
obtained  by  the  teacher  from  the  Reports  of  the 
Board  of  Health.  Where  many  copies  of  the  Reports 
can  be  secured,  the  children  will  find  much  that  is 
new  and  vital  in  them  as  they  are  allowed  to  read 
them  under  guidance  and  gather  their  own  fresh 
information. 

(C)  The  Municipal  Board  of  Health. 

(i)  Appointed  by  Mayor  or  Commission  of  the  city. 
Three,  five  or  seven  persons  on  Board.  (2)  Manage- 
ment. Appoint  inspectors,  grant  licenses,  investigate 
menacing  conditions,  employ  clerks  and  workmen, 
responsible  for  finances.  (3)  How  municipal  depart- 
ments cooperate  with  the  Board  of  Health.  Police 
Department:  Careful  watch  over  tenement  houses 
where  disease  may  spread;  immediate  notification  of 
the  Board  of  Health  of  unsanitary  conditions.  Street 
Department:  Prevents  disease  by  street  cleaning; 
flooding  the  streets  in  crowded  quarters  to  improve 
the  air  and  aid  in  the  prevention  of  summer  epidem- 

40 


COMMUNITY  HEALTH 

ics;  in  winter,  sidewalks  sanded  to  prevent  accidents. 
Water  Board:  Careful  watch  of  disturbances  in  water 
supply  which  might  menace  its  purity.  Sewer  De- 
partment: Careful  oversight  of  drainage  in  houses. 
Charity  Department:  City  dispensaries,  city  physi- 
cians, district  nurses,  hospitals,  outdoor  relief,  in- 
door relief.  School  Department:  Notification  of  Board 
of  Health  of  all  symptoms  of  contagious  diseases  in 
the  schoolroom;  appointment  of  school  physicians 
and  school  nurses. 

{D)  How  the  State  and  the  Federal  Governments  aid. 

The  teacher  will  have  to  explain  that  oftentimes  a 
community  by  itself  cannot  accomplish  the  wisest  or 
best  kind  of  sanitation  without  cooperation  from  the 
State.  Such  questions  as  the  following  will  lead 
directly  to  this  later  development  of  the  digest:  — 

If  a  scarlet  fever  epidemic  broke  out  in  the  next 
city,  would  there  be  any  risk  to  our  community  from 
riding  in  the  electric  cars?  In  what  other  ways  might 
the  fever  spread  into  our  town?  If  the  water  supply 
in  the  next  community  came  from  the  same  source  as 
ours  and  we  had  typhoid  fever  in  the  city,  could  the 
next  town  take  any  precautions  against  risks?  If  the 
milk  supply  of  our  city  came  from  farms  in  another 
State,  what  ought  there  to  be  to  protect  a  community 
against  an  epidemic  that  could  be  brought  through 
the  milk  supply? 

Such  questions  will  lead  the  class  to  know  that  a 
State  needs  to  make  and  enforce  laws  which  will  pro- 

41 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

tect  people  living  in  one  city  close  to  another,  or  in 
one  State  that  joins  another.  The  topics  will  take  the 
form  of  these:  — 

The  milk  supply.  The  water  supply.  Pure  food. 
Inspection  of  fresh  meat,  vegetables,  fruits,  and  all 
foods  in  storage.  Pure  drugs  and  medicines.  Tobacco 
and  alcoholic  liquors.  The  inspection  of  markets, 
groceries,  bakeries,  as  well  as  of  barber  shops  and 
bathhouses.  Housing  laws  for  health.  Labor  laws 
for  women  and  children.  The  Federal  Bureau  for 
Child  Welfare.  Government  inspection  of  vessels  at 
ports  of  entry.  Quarantine  stations. 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

During  one  of  the  lessons,  the  subject  of  tubercu- 
losis will  naturally  come  up.  The  teacher  may  make 
a  special  investigation  of  tuberculosis  in  the  com- 
munity, if  there  be  need  of  such.  In  any  case,  all 
children  should  be  taught  certain  specific  precautions. 
They  will  see  at  once  that  there  should  be  insistence 
regarding  outdoor  air  for  the  patients;  that  all  cloths 
used  in  connection  with  the  disease  should  be  burned; 
and  that  if  possible  the  patient  should  be  isolated 
from  the  sleeping-rooms  of  others.  The  children  will 
see  the  need  of  exercise  in  moderation,  and  short  rests 
between  work  and  before  eating.  As  to  the  diet  of  the 
invalid,  the  fact  that  doctors  always  order  milk 
and  fresh  eggs  in  abundance  should  be  emphasized. 
In  some  cities  the  teacher  will  be  able  to  invite  lec- 
turers to  speak  before  the  class,  and  oftentimes  an 

42 


COMMUNITY  HEALTH 

exhibit  for  anti-tuberculosis  knowledge  provided 
by  the  city  or  the  State  or  a  society  will  add  great 
interest  to  the  children's  knowledge  of  the  move- 
ment. 

During  these  lessons  the  teacher  will  find  occasion 
to  write  on  the  blackboard  other  rules  which  will  help 
in  preserving  health.  She  may,  if  she  teaches  in  a 
crowded  tenement  district,  explain  to  the  little  girls 
in  the  class  that  babies  should  be  washed  daily;  that 
they  should  sleep  alone;  that  they  need  a  great  deal 
of  fresh  air;  and  that  babies  should  not  be  weaned  in 
hot  weather.  She  can  tell  the  little  girls  that  in  sum- 
mer babies  should  be  dressed  in  thin  cotton  clothes 
instead  of  woolen,  and  that  when  they  cry  they  are 
not  always  hungry,  and  that  babies  should  be  nursed 
regularly,  and  not  when  they  cry. 

Every  community  has  its  own  special  needs  and 
interests.  |These  offer  themselves  for  special  investi- 
gation, and  the  teacher  will  use  them  with  discretion 
as  they  appear  before  the  public  mind. 

HELPFUL   READINGS 

See  Reports  of  Municipal  Boards  of  Health,  Reports  of 

State  Boards  of  Health. 
The  Gulick  Hygiene  Series,  Book  Three  {Town  and  City^ 

by  Frances  Gulick  Jewett).   Ginn  &  Co.,  Boston. 
Arthur  W.  Dunn,  Community  and  the  Citizen.    D.  C. 

Heath  &  Co.,  Boston. 
Mabel  Hill,  Lessons  for  Junior  Citizens.    Ginn  &  Co., 

Boston. 

43 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

S.  H.  Adams,  The  Health  Master.  Houghton  Mifflin  Co., 

Boston. 
Hollis  Godfrey,  The  Health  of  the  City.  Houghton  Mifflin 

Co.,  Boston. 
Richmond  and  Wallach,  Good  Citizenship.  American  Book 

Co.,  New  York. 
Meyer  Bloomfield,  City  Health,  The  Civic  Reader  for  New 

Americans.  American  Book  Co.,  New  York. 
William  B.  Guitteau,  Government  and  Politics  in  the  United 

States,   and   Preparing    for   Citizenship.    Houghton 

Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 


44 


PROTECTION  OF  LIFE  AND  PROPERTY 

2.  Protection  of  life  and  property 

Introductory  discussion 

The  Board  of  Police  and  its  agencies  and  activi- 
ties open  up  a  fresh  field  of  inquiry  in  which  the 
teacher  will  find  an  immediate  response  from  the 
class.  The  work  of  the  police  should  be  ap- 
proached from  its  protective  and  preventive  lines 
of  activities,  rather  than  from  its  criminal  and 
punitive  work.  And  the  responsibility  of  the  Fire 
Department  is  of  equal  interest  as  well  as  impor- 
tance. These  lessons  which  discuss  the  necessary 
protection  of  cities  afford  a  kind  of  hero  worship. 
The  teacher  cannot  impress  upon  children  too 
forcibly  the  willing  sacrifice  in  the  daily  routine 
of  men  who  have  chosen  for  their  calling  work 
which  offers  danger  and  possible  death. 

These  lessons  may  be  organized  with  questions 
touching  the  child's  own  experience:  Why  does 
the  policeman  stand  at  street  corners?  What 
kind  of  people  have  you  seen  him  help?  If  you 
were  lost,  should  you  try  to  find  a  policeman? 
Why?  If  a  suspicious  character  were  on  the 
street,  what  would  the  policeman  do?  If  he  found 
a  boy  abusing  a  dog,  what  would  happen?  Or  a 
teamster,  ill-treating  a  horse?  Why  are  police- 

45 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

men  stationed  at  the  gates  of  ball  games,  circuses, 
theaters?  When  and  why  are  special  policemen 
appointed?  Should  you  feel  as  safe  at  night  if 
there  were  no  policeman  on  the  beat  about  your 
streets?  When  you  go  away  in  sunmier  and  leave 
your  house  empty,  are  you  sure  that  the  patrol- 
man will  guard  it?  These  questions  will  be  an- 
swered so  directly  that  the  blackboard  digest  will 
develop  at  once,  and  the  data  will  appear  as  fol- 
lows: 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 
(A)  Guardians  of  Municipal  Life. 

(i)  The  Police:  By  day  and  by  night.  Patrol 
streets;  watch  suspicious  characters;  direct  strangers; 
assist  old  people  and  little  children;  protect  property; 
enforce  laws;  prevent  cruelty  to  animals  and  possible 
accidents;  break  up  riots,  strikes,  and  criminal  pro- 
ceedings; maintain  order  at  ball  games,  parades, 
circuses,  and  in  crowds;  arrest  disorderly  persons; 
disperse  loiterers;  break  up  gangs;  inspect  empty 
houses  and  dark  alleys;  investigate  smoke;  assist  fire- 
men at  fires;  cooperate  with  the  Street  and  Health 
Departments;  look  up  cases  of  poverty  for  the  Char- 
ity Department. 

(2)  The  Fire  Department. 

Duties  of  the  permanent  firemen.  To  live  at  the 
engine  house;  to  care  for  horses,  apparatus,  harnesses, 
hose,  engines,  stables,  dormitories^  firemen's  suitSj 

46 


PROTECTION  OF  LIFE  AND  PROPERTY 

rubber  blankets,  ladders.  On  active  service.  To  obey 
orders,  act  instantly,  fear  nothing,  forget  self. 
Dangerous  centers.  Large  hotels,  factories,  mills,  big 
packing-houses  on  wharves,  crowded  tenement  quar- 
ters in  thickly  settled  districts,  public  schools,  busi- 
ness houses,  and  big  shops,  state  institutions. 

There  may  be  personal  reminiscences  of  fires  to 
illustrate  the  need  in  each  community.  The  story  of 
heroic  firemen  conveys  a  lesson  which  is  helpful  to 
impress  the  children  with  their  own  responsibility. 
The  teacher  may  read  aloud  a  stirring  fire  story  from 
one  of  Jacob  Riis's  books  and  one  of  his  fine  police- 
man's stories. 

{B)  How  the  children  can  cooperate  in  protecting  the 
city. 

(These  "don'ts"  will  naturally  originate  in  the 
minds  of  the  children  as  a  result  of  the  foregoing 
lessons :) 

Don't  fight.  Don't  trespass  on  other  people's 
property.  Don't  play  "truant.  Don't  make  unneces- 
sary noise.  Don't  mark  buildings.  Don't  take  things 
that  belong  to  others.  Don't  abuse  animals.  Don't 
go  with  gangs  of  boys  who  do  wrong.  Don't  set  brush 
fires  without  permission.  Don't  play  with  matches  or 
lamps.  Don't  leave  camp-fires  in  the  woods.  Don't 
be  careless  with  kerosene  or  gasoline.  Don't  ring  in 
false  alarms.  Don't  get  in  the  way  of  firemen  at  fires. 


47 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

Stories  written  from  actual  experience  are  of  value. 
A  visit  to  the  central  fire  station  of  a  city  will  be  of 
interest  to  the  whole  class.  An  experience  at  a  fire, 
if  some  pupil  had  undergone  such  a  misfortune,  would 
make  another  topic.  A  panic  in  a  theater  where  the 
poHce  had  maintained  order,  the  description  of  a  flood 
where  the  guardians  of  the  city  were  heroic,  offer 
topics  of  thrilling  interest  to  the  pupils.  Work  of 
State  Police.  Work  of  State  Fire  Commissions.  ' 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

Reports  of  Municipal  Fire  Departments. 

Documents  relating  to  State  Police  and  Fire  Commissions. 

Frances  Gulick  Jewett,  Town  and  City.    Ginn  &  Co., 

Boston. 
C.  D.  Willard,  City  Government  for  Young  People.   The 

Macmillan  Co.,  New  York. 
Richmond  and  Wallach,  Good  Citizenship.    American 

Book  Co.,  New  York. 
C.  F.  Dole,  The  Young  Citizen.    D.  C.  Heath  &  Co., 

Boston. 
Jacob  Riis,  Children  of  the  Tenements.   The  Macmillan 

Co.,  New  York. 
W.  B.  Guitteau,  Preparing  for  Citizenship.    Houghton 

Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 


48 


PUBLIC  HIGHWAYS  AND  STREETS 

3.  Public  highways  and  streets 

Introductory  discussion 

The  streets  of  a  city  offer  a  better  opportunity 
for  interesting  pupils  in  civic  activities  than  any 
other  factor  in  the  control  of  the  municipality. 
Because  much  of  their  enjojrment  is  in  the  street 
they  become  acquainted  with  other  agencies  of 
the  city  government,  its  Police,  its  Fire,  and  its 
Health  Departments,  its  waterworks,  and  its 
lighting  plant,  and,  therefore,  an  immediate  in- 
terest is  stimulated  with  questions:  Why  are 
children  forbidden  to  play  ball  or  coast  upon  the 
streets  and  upon  the  sidewalks?  Why  are  work- 
men digging  deep  into  the  streets  and  laying  pipes 
of  various  sizes?  Why  are  passageways  marked 
private  and  teams  forbidden  to  enter?  Why  are 
the  streets  lighted  at  night?  Why  are  they  cleaned 
and  sprinkled,  and  the  snow  shoveled  in  winter? 
Why  are  streets  named  and  numbered?  The 
teacher  can  explain  to  children  how  the  original 
highways  came  to  be  laid  out  for  the  convenience 
of  people  traveling,  and  how  these  thoroughfares, 
having  become  common  property,  are  supported 
by  the  people.  It  can  be  shown  that,  as  the  pop- 
ulation increased  and  the  roads  were  used  for 

49 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

traffic,  sidewalks  became  necessary  for  the  safety 
of  pedestrians.  Conditions  prevailing  before  the 
establishment  of  waterworks  and  sewerage  should 
be  pointed  out,  and  that  because  of  unsanitary 
conditions  which  developed,  it  required  organized 
effort  to  provide  running  water  and  sewerage  to 
carry  away  the  waste.  Hence  the  use  of  our 
streets  for  the  great  mains  which  bring  water  and 
carry  away  refuse.  As  communities  grew,  one 
man's  attempt  at  cleanliness  often  became  a  nui- 
sance to  his  neighbor.  If  everybody  swept  the 
refuse  of  his  house  into  the  street,  the  wind  might 
blow  it  about;  hence  public  care  of  the  streets 
became  a  necessity.  Destructive  fires  occasioned 
by  overturned  lamps  brought  about  cooperative 
lighting  companies,  and  the  street  has  to  accom- 
modate itself  to  the  pipes  and  poles  required  for 
this  service.  Thus  the  children  learn  that  the 
Street  Department  includes  much  of  great  im- 
portance in  the  way  of  community  safety  and 
comfort. 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  How  the  city  controls  its  thoroughfares  and  streets. 

Streets  kept  open  for  public  traffic :  —  for  foot 
passengers,  for  carriages,  teamsters,  automobiles, 
circuses,  parades,  pageants.  Used  by  special  utilities : 

SO 


PUBLIC  HIGHWAYS  AND  STREETS 

—  By  railways,  electric,  steam,  and  horse,  and  by 
telegraph  and  telephone  companies,  by  gas  and  elec- 
tric lighting  companies,  by  waterworks  and  city 
sewerage.  Construction  :  —  New  roads,  new  pave- 
ments, sidewalks,  curbings,  gradings,  crossings,  al- 
leys, repair  of  old  roads,  building  bridges,  wind 
guards,  storm  guards.  Care  of  streets  :  —  Cleaning, 
watering,  flushing,  shoveling  snow,  street  scavengers 
and  sand  men. 

The  pupils  will  see  that  the  making  of  new  roads 
is  most  important,  because  by  such  development  the 
city  grows  in  one  direction  or  another.  The  width  of 
streets,  the  setting-out  of  trees  along  the  streets,  the 
open  spaces  or  small  parks,  all  combine  to  make  the 
**city  beautiful." 

{B)  Relation  of  other  departments  to  Street  Depart- 
ment. 

The  Health  Department,  Care  of  ashes,  waste  and 
refuse;  flooding  streets  in  the  summer  to  prevent 
epidemics. 

Fire  Department,  At  times  of  fire  the  fire  captain 
has  authority  over  the  street. 

Police  Department,  Control  of  highways  to  direct 
trafiic,  to  prevent  accidents,  and  to  break  up  con- 
gested traffic. 

City  Engineer,  Makes  surveys  and  draws  up  plans 
for  new  construction. 

Purchasing  Department.  Appropriation  of  money 
for  road  material,  stone-crushers,  wagons,  horses, 

SI 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

sprinklers,  steam  rollers,  sweeping-machines,  and  all 
implements. 

Further  discussion 

Because  of  what  lies  below  the  surface  of  the 
streets,  and  because  of  the  public  use  of  the  streets  by 
every  one,  the  city  has  to  grant  franchises  to  private 
corporations  that  use  their  streets  to  further  their 
business.  A  few  questions  like  the  following  will 
arouse  the  discussion:  Are  franchises  for  electric  light- 
ing and  gas  likely  to  be  more  beneficial  for  the  people 
or  for  the  private  corporations  that  own  them?  Does 
our  city  own  its  water  plant?  Its  lighting  and 
transportation  plants?  In  granting  a  franchise,  why 
should  it  be  revocable  in  a  brief  term  of  years?  Why 
should  corporations  which  use  the  city  thorough- 
fares be  made  to  pay  for  the  use  of  them  when  these 
same  plants  are  benefiting  all  the  people  all  the  time? 
Why  should  automobiles  be  taxed  to  support  the 
thoroughfares? 

(C)  How  the  children  can  cooperate  in  keeping  the 
streets  in  order. 

Do  not  throw  rubbish  into  the  streets  or  into  vacant 
lots  in  the  neighborhood.  Do  not  stir  up  piles  of  dead 
leaves.  Do  not  dig  in  the  streets.  Do  not  destroy 
grass  or  shrubs.  Do  not  mutilate  fences  or  walls 
along  the  streets.  Shovel  the  snow  in  front  of  your 
house.  Try  to  keep  the  street  watered  in  front  of 
your  home  if  the  city  does  not  find  it  possible  to  do  so. 

52 


PUBLIC  HIGHWAYS  AND  STREETS 

Do  not  leave  the  ash  barrel  out  all  day,  but  keep  it 
covered  while  it  is  out. 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

It  is  possible  to  correlate  the  story  of  national  high- 
ways described  in  history  with  the  opening  up  of 
roads  everywhere.  Overland  routes,  post-roads,  and 
the  like  make  interesting  stories  and  anecdotes  for 
special  topics. 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

Reports  of  the  Street  Department. 

Reports  of  the  State  Commissioner  of  Highways. 

Frances  Gulick  Jewett,  Town  and  City.    Ginn  &  Co., 

Boston. 
C.  D,  Willard,  City  Government  for  Young  People.   The 

Macmillan  Co.,  New  York. 
Arthur  W.  Dunn,  Community  and  the  Citizen.    D.  C. 

Heath  &  Co.,  Boston. 
Mabel  Hill,  Lessons  for  Junior  Citizens.    Ginn  &  Co., 

Boston. 
Meyer  Bloomfield,  Our  City  Street,  The  Civic  Reader  for 

New  Americans.  American  Book  Co.,  New  York. 


52> 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

4.  Public  recreation 

Introductory  discussion 

A  quick  review  of  lessons  studied  in  geography 
may  be  the  basis  for  the  subject  of  parks.  The 
teacher  may  recall  to  the  pupils'  minds  the  great 
national  parks  of  the  United  States,  or  she  may 
draw  out  the  information  by  questioning.  The 
point  to  be  made  is  that  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment believes  in  parks,  and  has  done  much  to 
maintain  them,  for  the  enjoyment  and  instruc- 
tion of  our  citizens.  This  will  lead  to  a  discussion 
of  state  reservations  and  city  reservations  or 
parks.  Such  questions  as  the  following  will  be 
suggestive:  Why  do  most  cities  support  parks? 
When  you  visit  a  park,  what  do  you  expect  to 
find?  What  is  landscape  gardening?  What  is  the 
difference  between  domestic  and  foreign  trees? 
Why  does  the  landscape  gardener  introduce  wind- 
ing paths,  with  pretty  vistas,  cool,  shady  paths, 
duck  ponds,  lily-pad  ponds?  Why  are  some 
parts  of  parks  left  as  tangles  like  real  woods  and 
other  sections  turned  into  lawns  with  flower  beds 
and  shrubs?  Why  should  park  commissions  in 
large  cities  build  casinos,  add  golf  links,  tennis 
courts,  cricket  fields,  and  baseball  diamonds? 

54 


PUBLIC  RECREATION 

Why  should  all  the  indoor  games  at  the  casino 
and  the  dances  and  the  bathhouses  and  the  swim- 
ming-pools be  most  carefully  supervised? 

TOPICS   FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  What  the  city  community  does  for  recreation. 

Provides  a  park  commission,  consulting  engineer, 
tree  warden,  landscape  gardener,  and  general  super- 
intendent of  parks.  The  park  commission  supervises 
acquired  land,  and  its  beautification;  organizes  play 
and  recreation,  appoints  teachers,  and  supplies  all 
kinds  of  athletic  apparatus  in  the  large  parks.  In  the 
open  spaces  and  playgrounds  there  are  sand  piles, 
swings,  and  teeters  and  slides.  The  blackboard  will 
be  filled  with  suggestions  from  the  pupils  who  will 
wish  to  include  every  detail  within  their  own  experi- 
ence. Some  cities  have  wading-pools,  while  others 
have  ponds  with  swan  boats.  There  are  bathhouses 
to  be  itemized  as  well  as  the  names  of  the  games  and 
folk-dances  taught  by  the  supervisor.  The  children 
will  not  miss  a  thing. 

{B)  How  the  children  can  help  the  community  care  for 
its  parks  and  playgrounds. 

(i)  In  the  park.  Not  to  scatter  rubbish.  Not  to 
pick  flowers.  Be  orderly;  Be  polite.  (2)  In  the  play- 
grounds. To  play  fair.  To  "play  up  to  the  game." 
The  teacher  may  ask:  How  soon  does  the  boy  at 
recess  learn  to  play  fair?  What  does  good  "team 
work  "  mean?  What  children  make  the  best  umpires? 

55 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

What  games  are  most  helpful  in  preparinir  hildren 
to  be  of  service  in  the  home?  What  is  th^'^^  iference 
between  playing  a  game  for  one's  own  saxe  which 
leads  to  proficiency,  and  the  game  which  is  played 
by  a  group  of  persons  which  leads  to  a  fine  fellowship 
with  the  other  members  of  the  group?  What  is  a 
good  "loser"?  How  do  these  "play"  terms  show 
character  —  "Keeping  the  rules,"  "remembering  the 
limits,"  "touching  the  goal"? 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

If  the  teacher  wishes  to  present  to  the  pupils  the 
difference  between  boys  and  girls  who  are  under 
supervision  and  those  who  are  not,  she  can  write  on 
the  blackboard  in  two  columns  the  following  topics, 
which  when  linked  together  in  a  little  talk  by  the 
teacher  should  impress  the  pupils  with  the  results  of 
the  playground  movement:  — 

A  CONTRAST  IN  A  CITY 

Supervised  groups  Urisupervised  gangs 

Outdoor  playground  Street  loafing 

Indoor  gymnasium  Playing  in  dark  alleys 

Team  work  Running  errands  for  saloon  keepers 

Competitive  games  Intimate  knowledge  of  dives 

Prizes  for  work  Visiting  cheap  shows  and  dance  halls 

Brass  bands  Raids  into  the  country 

Orchestra  Lawless  destruction  of  property  in 

Lantern  shows  the  city  or  suburbs 

Talking  machines  Beginning  of  petty  misdemeanors: 

Outings  to  museums  Thieving 

Excursions  to  country  Setting  brush  fires 

Lessons    in    cane-seating,  cooking,        Destroying  signs 

sewing,  weaving,  singing,  painting,    Larger  misdemeanors: 

drawing,  box-making,  dressmaking,        Stealing 

millinery  Drunkenness 

56 


PUBLIC  RECREATION 

Establishn '      of  clubs;  in  mass  for  Licentiousness 

enthusi        v    broken  into  groups  Summons  to  station  house: 

for  woi.         :h  as,  bird-club,  civic  Probable  probation 

club,  mu        lub,  travel  club,  sav-  Second  oflEense 

ings  bank  dah.   The  clubroom  to  Juvenile  court 

be  pleasantly  furnished  with  game  Third  offense 

tables,     reading-tables,     pictures,  Warrant  to  appear  at  court 

fresh  flowers,  current  magazines  on  Reformatory 

all  manner  of  topics,  American  flag  Jail 

Good  citizenship  Hardened  heart  toward  reform 

Criminal 

Which  is  better,  to  appropriate  money  to  organize  and 
supervise  playgrounds  and  gymnasiums,  or  to  let  the 
youth  go  without  recreation  centers,  with  a  chance  they 
may  develop  bad  habits  in  the  hours  of  leisure?  Which, 
in  the  end,  will  be  more  likely  to  produce  inmates  of  penal 
institutions  or  charitable  institutions  that  will  cost  more 
than  playgrounds  and  gymnasiimis?  Is  your  town  or  city 
or  community  in  need  of  playgrounds?  Ought  the  people 
who  live  near  the  playground  or  park  to  be  inspired  to 
build  more  attractive  houses  and  to  keep  beautiftd 
gardens? 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

Reports  on  Municipal  Departments. 

Reports  of  State  Parks  and  Reservations. 

Reports  of  Department  of  Interior  concerning  National 

Parks  and  Reservations. 
H.  S.  Curtis,  Play  and  Recreation.   Ginn  &  Co.,  Boston. 

(A  most  helpful  book  for  teachers.) 
C.  D.  Willard,  City  Government  for  Young  People.   The 

Macmillan  Co.,  New  York. 
Frances  Gulick  Jewett,  Town  and  City.    Ginn  &  Co., 

Boston. 
William  A.  McKeever,  Training  the  Boy.  The  Macmillan 

Co.,  New  York. 

57 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

Sylvester  Baxter,  Public  Parks  and  Playgrounds,  Baths 
and  Gymnasiums,  The  Civic  Reader  for  New  Americans. 
American  Book  Co.,  New  York. 

The  National  Municipal  League  Review,  Philadelphia. 

The  American  City,  87  Nassau  St.,  New  York. 

The  American  Political  Science  Review,  New  York. 

The  Survey,  New  York. 

M.   V.   O'Shea,   Social  Development  and  Edtication, 
Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 


S8 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION 

5.  Public  education 

Introductory  discussion 

There  is  no  community  agency  which  develops 
an  attitude  of  intelligent  citizenship  as  does  the 
public  school.  To  show  the  children  what  the 
community  is  doing  for  their  benefit,  and  to  lead 
them  to  appreciate  their  opportunities,  is  most 
important.  And  moreover,  as  the  members  of  the 
class  study  the  school-system,  cooperating  with 
the  work  of  the  school,  they  may  be  taught  to 
develop  an  appreciation  of  the  larger  influence  of 
the  school,  whereby  peoples  from  many  nations 
coming  to  this  country  may  become  unified  in  the 
development  of  a  truer  democracy. 

The  group  of  lessons  on  schools  may  be  ap- 
proached from  various  points  of  view  by  such 
questions  as  these :  How  are  the  public  schools  of 
the  city  supported?  Who  pay  the  taxes?  If  the 
schools  are  owned  by  the  city,  why  should  chil- 
dren care  for  the  property  thus  possessed  in 
common  by  all  the  citizens? 

Or  another  group  of  questions  may  introduce 
the  discussion:  How  much  does  it  cost  this  city 
to  educate  a  boy  or  girl  if  he  attends  every  grade 
from  the  kindergarten  through  the  high  school? 

59 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

In  one  classroom  where  this  question  was  put  the 
pupils  estimated  that  the  answer  would  be  four 
hundred  dollars  apiece.  And  when  the  teacher 
asked  the  more  subtle  question  whether  the  ex- 
penditure of  so  many  dollars  was,  on  the  whole, 
worth  while,  a  boy  exclaimed  enthusiastically, 
"  I  'm  not  sure  whether  we  '11  be  worth  educating, 
but  our  teacher  has  proved  worth  while/' 

A  third  approach  may  be  made  by  contrasting 
the  course  of  studies  taught  in  colonial  days  and 
those  introduced  into  a  modern  curriculum. 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  What  the  city  provides  in  the  shape  of  schools, 

(i)  The  school  system.  Kindergarten;  elementary 
schools  (primary  and  grammar  grades);  secondary 
schools  (high  schools  and  academies) ;  special  schools 
(evening  schools,  continuation  schools,  and  schools 
for  defectives) ;  state  universities. 

The  discussion  that  will  accompany  this  group  of 
topics  will  suggest  questions:  Why  the  family  cannot 
educate  the  children?  What  does  the  school  do  that 
the  parents  cannot  do?  What  difference  between 
graded  schools  and  ungraded  schools?  Is  education 
compulsory  in  your  State?  At  what  age?  For  how 
many  years?  How  are  truants  looked  after  in  your 
community?  Why  such  strict  supervision?  Why  are 
evening  schools  necessary  in  factory  centers?  Where 

60 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION 

are  vocational  schools  most  needed?  Why  should 
agricultural  schools  be  developed? 

(2)  Courses  of  study.  Elementary:  reading,  writ- 
ing, number  work,  nature  study,  geography,  gram- 
mar, history,  Enghsh,  physiology,  manual  training, 
music,  drawing,  gymnastics,  domestic  science.  Sec- 
ondary: classics  and  foreign  languages,  mathematics, 
the  sciences,  commercial  courses,  vocational  courses, 
literature,  history. 

These  topics  may  be  made  of  great  interest  by 
interpreting  the  meaning  of  the  subjects.  Grammar- 
school  children  may  be  quickened  to  enter  upon  the 
work  of  the  secondary  schools  through  a  realization 
of  what  will  be  opened  up  to  them  in  the  advanced 
courses. 

(B)  How  the  city  manages  its  school  system. 

The  pupils  should  know  that  a  School  Board  or 
School  Committee  is  elected  or  appointed  in  every 
municipality;  that  in  almost  all  cities  this  committee 
appoints  a  superintendent  who  has  full  supervision 
of  the  schools,  often  assisted  by  supervisors  or  special 
teachers.  The  class  should  be  made  to  feel  that  a 
School  Board  or  School  Committee  is  a  group  of  men 
who  give  their  services  and  are  supposed  to  be  men 
and  women  who  care  greatly  for  the  educational  wel- 
fare of  the  community.  The  School  Board  is  divided 
into  subcommittees,  who  carry  out  details  along  dif- 
ferent lines.  As  a  whole,  the  Board  supervises  the 
educational  methods,  visiting  the  schools,  helping 

6x 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

to  shape  the  course  of  studies,  expending  the  money 
appropriated  for  schools,  and  acting  with  the  Build- 
ing Committee  in  relation  to  school  buildings.  The 
class  will  discover  through  discussion  that,  in  all 
cities  alive  to  good  citizenship,  much  is  being  done  to 
promote  hygienic  conditions  in  and  about  the  school 
buildings,  to  regulate  play  and  recreation,  and  to 
promote  a  closer  union  between  children  in  the  schools 
and  parents  in  the  home. 

(C)  Ecrw  the  children  can  cooperate  with  the  school 
work. 

The  children  soon  realize,  after  these  first  lessons, 
the  need  of  reciprocity  in  their  daily  life.  A  school 
spirit  is  engendered  when  once  they  realize  what  is  ac- 
tually being  done  for  them  by  the  city.  The  latent 
good  will  of  the  children  is  shown  by  their  answers  to 
such  questions  as  the  following :  Should  pupils  take  a 
pride  in  their  schoolroom?  Should  they  cooperate  in 
caring  for  the  playground?  How  should  they  treat  the 
materials,  books,  and  apparatus  provided  for  them? 
Should  they  be  punctual,  regular  in  attendance? 
Should  they  try  to  set  a  good  example,  a  good  school 
spirit  to  the  younger  boys  and  girls?  What  is  school 
spirit?  What  is  loyalty  to  an  alma  mater?  If  college 
men  foster  such  loyalty,  could  not  boys  and  girls 
introduce  it  into  their  school-day  lives? 


62 


PUBLIC  EDUCATION 

SPECIAL   TOPICS 

Where  it  is  possible  because  of  the  community  life, 
the  relationships  of  the  school  to  other  educational 
forces  may  be  developed.  The  public  library  and  the 
school  offer  a  topic  of  interest;  parents  and  teachers' 
associations  another;  school  centers,  civic  leagues, 
excursions  to  museums,  and  other  topics  germane  to 
the  environment.  The  State  University.  Special 
schools.  The  Board  of  Education.  The  care  of  small 
rural  schools.  The  work  of  the  U.S.  Commissioner  of 
Education  at  Washington. 

Investigate  other  opportunities  for  higher  educa- 
tion: "Land  Grant  Colleges,"  national  military  and 
naval  academies. 

The  training  of  teachers:  normal  schools,  summer 
schools,  schools  of  pedagogy. 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

Reports  of  School  Boards  or  School  Committees. 

Reports  of  State  Boards  of  Education. 

Reports  from  United  States  Commissioner  of  Education, 
the  Bureau  of  Education. 

J.  P.  Munroe,  New  Demands  in  Education.  Doubleday, 
Page  &  Co.,  New  York.  (This  book  is  for  the  teach- 
ers.) 

William  A.  McKeever,  The  Industrial  Training  of  the  Boy. 
The  Macmillan  Co.,  New  York. 

Mabel  Hill,  Lessons  for  Junior  Citizens.  Ginn  &  Co., 
Boston. 

Arthur  W.  Dunn,  The  Community  and  the  Citizen.  The 

63 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

Macmillan  Co.,  New  York.  (Very  important  contribu- 
tion.) 

C.  A.  Lamprey,  Public  Education,  The  Civic  Reader  for 
New  Americans.  American  Book  Co.,  New  York. 

William  B.  Guitteau,  Preparing  for  Citizenship,  and  Gov- 
ernment and  Politics  in  the  United  States,  Houghton 
Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 

R.  L.  Ashley,  Government  and  the  Citizen.  The  Macmillan 
Co.,  New  York. 

C.  F.  Dole.  The  American  Citizen.  D.  C.  Heath  &  Co., 
Boston. 

A.  S.  Draper,  American  Edtication.  Houghton  Mifflin  Co., 
Boston. 


64 


PUBLIC  LIBRARIES 


6.  Public  Libraries 

Suggestions  for  Discussion 

The  teacher  can  readily  show  the  class  that 
just  as  children  enjoy  story-books  with  pictures, 
so  to  the  public  the  library  is  what  the  picture 
story-book  is  to  the  child.  As  in  most  cities  and 
villages  library  buildings  are  erected  in  order 
that  people  may  have  access  to  books  in  one  cen- 
tral place,  the  question  arises  for  the  future,  Will 
it  be  best  to  go  on  putting  up  big  buildings  where 
together  with  the  books  there  may  be  collections, 
exhibits,  and  museums,  or  will  it  be  wiser  to  have 
branch  libraries  and  circulating  libraries,  so  that 
people  may  get  at  the  books  more  frequently? 
(The  discussion  which  will  follow  a  question  of 
this  nature  will  depend  largely  upon  the  condi- 
tions in  the  city  or  village.)  Should  the  public 
have  access  to  the  shelves  in  the  library?  Why 
should  books  be  returned  every  two  weeks,  and 
some  books  every  week?  Are  there  reading-rooms 
in  most  libraries?  What  should  be  the  regulations 
for  a  reading-room?  Why?  Is  a  reading-room  for 
children  particularly  beneficial?  Why  should 
story-tellers  be  appointed  for  children's  reading- 
rooms?  How  do  you  know  what  books  to  read? 

6s 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

Can  you  use  a  card  catalogue?  Why  did  Mr. 
Carnegie  wish  to  give  so  much  of  his  money  to 
founding  Hbraries?  Why  should  modem  Hbra- 
lies  be  fireproof?  Why  should  perfect  sanitation 
be  needed  in  a  library?  Why  have  skylights  as 
well  as  windows?  Why  have  shaded  lamps  for 
evening  use?  How  do  schools  combine  with  libra- 
ries to  advance  education?  How  do  school  cen- 
ters and  civic  clubs  use  books  from  a  general 
library  to  further  the  reading  habits  in  a  particu- 
lar locality?  If  such  a  use  of  public  library  books 
has  not  been  developed  in  your  town  or  city, 
would  it  not  be  helpful  for  you  to  start  a  reading 
circle  and  carry  out  some  such  method  of  public 
book-letting?  Try  it. 


66 


CARE  OF  DEPENDENTS 

7.  Care  of  dependents 

Introductory  discussion 

The  psychological  time  to  teach  the  work  of 
public  charity  or  to  explain  Associated  Charities 
is  during  the  winter  months  if  possible.  The  ques- 
tions arise  at  the  outset,  Have  we  any  poor  in 
our  city?  Who  are  the  poor?  Who  are  the  incap- 
ables,  the  shiftless,  and  wayward?  What  is  meant 
by  "undeserving  pauperism"?  Who  are  the 
really  needy  poor?  What  is  meant  by  "  hard 
times"?  What  are  temporary  cases?  What  are 
chronic  cases?  What  agencies  exist  in  the  com- 
munity to  care  for  those  who  are  unable  to  sup- 
port themselves?  Why  has  it  become  necessary 
for  communities  to  organize  systematic  relief  for 
dependents  or  those  who  are  unable  to  support 
themselves? 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 
{A)  How  the  community  cares  for  the  poor, 

(i)  The  Charity  Commission^  or  Overseers  of  the 
Poor.  Investigation  of  the  residence  of  applicants 
(the  State  pays  for  applicants  who  have  no  residence 
in  any  city  or  town). 

(2)  Activities  of  the  Board,   Temporary   cases, 

67 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

chronic  cases,  pauper  cases.  Outdoor  relief.  Orders 
for  groceries,  meats  and  fuel,  clothing,  medicines, 
city  physicians;  assistance  to  find  work.  Indoor 
relief.  Town  farm,  city  farm,  hospitals,  shelters,  tem- 
porary homes,  asylums  for  orphans  (better  still, 
homes  for  orphans  in  private  families). 

(3)  Relation  with  the  State  Board  of  Charity.  (Per- 
sons who  have  no  residence  may  be  placed  in  asy- 
lums, industrial  schools,  state  homes,  or  in  private 
families,  the  board  paid  for  by  the  State.) 

Further  discussion 

Questions  in  economics  may  arise  as  public  charity 
is  discussed.  Which  is  the  wiser  expenditure  of 
money  by  a  city  or  State,  to  support  schools  for  the 
feeble-minded  in  order  to  train  them  to  do  something 
with  their  hands  which  will  aid  in  their  support,  or 
simply  to  segregate  them  into  asylums  when  they 
have  no  families  to  support  them?  Wayward  boys 
and  girls  often  end  by  going  to  jails;  is  the  expenditure 
of  money  for  industrial  schools  supported  by  county 
and  State  worth  while,  if  at  these  industrial  schools 
boys  and  girls  are  taught  trades,  and  learn  to  be  self- 
supporting  and  of  use  in  the  world?  In  most  States 
there  are  institutions  for  the  feeble-minded,  the 
blind,  wayward  boys  and  wayward  girls,  epileptics, 
and  degenerates,  the  aged  and  infirm,  the  insane,  the 
criminals,  paupers,  cripples,  and  orphans.  These 
questions  concerning  them  may  be  asked:  Does  the 
community  make  provision  for  any  of  the  above 

68 


CARE  OF  DEPENDENTS 

classes  of  dependents?  Or  are  such  persons  cared  for 
by  state  or  county  institutions?  Name  the  hospitals 
in  your  community.  Are  people  better  cared  for  in  a 
hospital  than  in  some  homes?  Why  are  there  out-of- 
door  hospitals  for  tuberculosis  sufferers?  What  in- 
stitutions for  orphans  are  there  in  our  community? 
What  difference  must  there  be  between  life  in  an 
orphanage  and  one  in  a  private  family?  Are  there 
any  old  men's  homes  or  old  ladies'  homes  in  your 
community?  Could  a  community  take  care  of  its  de- 
pendents without  the  aid  of  private  assistance? 

(B)  How  the  children  can  cooperate  in  charity  work. 

By  reporting  all  persons  who  need  charity  to  some 
one  in  authority.  To  find  out  what  agencies  exist  in 
the  community  which  care  for  dependents.  To  find 
out  what  people  can  help  in  giving  emplo)mient,  and 
by  interesting  others  to  do  the  same.  By  obtaining 
old  clothes  and  toys  for  the  very  poor  children  in 
school.  By  teaching  immigrant  playmates  the  pre- 
vention of  disease  and  community  health  laws.  By 
discussing  in  the  home  the  need  of  school  physicians, 
district  nurses,  milk  stations,  better  housing  condi- 
tions. By  fighting  the  Great  White  Plague.  By  urg- 
ing holiday  excursions  into  the  country  upon  those 
who  live  all  summer  in  crowded  districts. 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

Written  descriptions  of  special  experiences  in 
investigating  charity  work.     Plan  a  Christmas  box 

69 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

for  children  far  away.  Arrange  a  Christmas  tree  for 
children  who  are  not  as  well  off  as  the  members  of 
the  class.  Visit  a  state  institution  if  possible  and 
make  both  oral  and  "v\Titten  reports.  (The  following 
special  topics  illustrate  investigation  of  one  state 
charity,  namely,  the  Commission  for  the  Blind.) 

WORK  OF  THE  COMMISSION  FOR  THE  BLIND 

The  Commission  attempts  to  further  preventive 
work;  to  cooperate  in  finding  blind  persons;  attempts 
to  cooperate  with  local  industries  in  assisting  work- 
men who  have  become  blind  to  support  themselves 
again.  Statistics:  20,000  visits  made  by  the  Commis- 
sion: 30  little  children  placed  in  the  nursery  for  bHnd 
babies;  125  children  placed  in  a  famous  charity  school 
for  the  blind;  274  men  and  women  started  in  training 
work  at  the  State  Home  Teachers  for  the  Blind; 
150  persons  given  tickets  for  concerts  and  lectures; 
173  adults  trained  to  support  themselves  in  part  or 
wholly.  Work  of  the  inmates  of  the  school  for  the 
blind:  caning  chairs,  making  rugs,  mops,  brooms,  and 
cheap  mattresses,  tuning  pianos  and  assistance  in 
domestic  service. 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

Reports  of  the  Overseers  of  the  Poor  or  Charity  Depart- 
ment. 
Reports  of  the  State  Boards  of  Charity. 
Reports  of  Federal  Bureaus  covering  work  of  hospitals. 

70 


CARE  OF  DEPENDENTS 

C.  D.  Willard,  City  Government  for  Young  People,  The 

Macmillan  Co.,  New  York. 
Frances  Gulick  Jewett,  Town  and  City.    Ginn  &  Co., 

Boston. 
Mabel  Hill,  Lessons  for  Junior  Citizens.    Ginn  &  Co., 

Boston. 
J.  H.  Hollander,  The  Abolition  of  Poverty.    Houghton 

MiflBlin  Co.,  Boston. 
Arthur  W.  Dunn,  Community  and  the  Citizen.    D.  C. 

Heath  &  Co.,  Boston. 
Albert  Bushnell  Hart,  Actual  Government.    Longmans, 

Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 
William  B.   Guitteau,  Government  and  Politics  in  the 

United  States.  Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 
C.  F.  Dole.  The  American  Citizen.  D.  C.  Heath  &  Co., 

Boston. 
R.  L.*  Ashley,  Government  and  the  Citizen.  The  Macmillan 

Co.,  New  York. 


71 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

8.  Public  utilities 

Introductory  discussion 

What  should  we  do  without  our  waterworks  in 
a  big  city?  How  has  the  need  for  a  system  of 
waterworks  developed?  What  has  become  the 
general  custom  of  ownership  of  waterworks? 
What  is  the  method  of  sewerage  in  your  city?  Is 
the  sewerage  plant  controlled  by  the  city  or  by 
private  corporation?  Have  you  a  public  lighting 
system,  either  gas  or  electricity,  or  both?  Who 
controls  this  lighting  system?  Should  a  city  con- 
trol its  transportation  utilities?  Do  you  know 
of  any  cities  famous  for  municipal  ownership  of 
electric  cars  and  omnibuses?  What  is  a  franchise? 
When  a  city  gives  a  franchise  for  fifty  or  seventy- 
five  years,  why  should  popular  feeling  rise  up 
against  it?  What  powers  should  be  protected 
when  a  city  gives  a  franchise  to  a  private  corpo- 
ration? 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

{A  )  How  communities  generally  control  public  utilities, 

(i)  Waterworks.  Municipal  ownership  in  most 
cities  and  towns.  Build  permanently  for  growing 
needs  of  city. 

72 


PUBLIC  UTILITIES 

(2)  Lighting  plants.  Private  ownership  in  most 
cities.  Great  need  to  reduce  the  price  of  gas  and 
electricity. 

(3)  Sewers.  Municipal  ownership  in  almost  all 
cities.  Control  for  public  health.  Built  for  future 
growth  of  the  city. 

(4)  Transportation.  Private  ownership  in  most 
cities.  Control  of  railways,  subways,  elevated,  cable- 
cars,  omnibuses,  canal-boats,  steamers.  Length  of 
franchise  should  be  brief  because  of  constant  changes 
in  local  conditions.  Questions  of  fares  and  transfers 
important. 

(5)  Telegraph  and  telephone  utilities.  Mostly  pri- 
vate ownership  in  America;  in  Europe,  mostly  public. 

(6)  Other  public  utilities  which  are  gradually 
becoming  common:  municipal  tenements  to  advance 
housing  conditions.  Municipal  baths  and  laundries 
for  health  and  convenience.  Municipal  markets  for 
lowering  cost  of  living.  Municipal  mines  for  the  pro- 
tection of  poor  in  cold  weather.  Municipal  wharves 
for  convenient  docking. 

(B)  Interest  children  should  take  in  public  utilities. 

To  help  prevent  waste  of  water  in  public  buildings 
and  fountains.  To  prevent  the  breaking  of  apparatus 
which  belongs  either  to  public  or  private  property 
connected  with  public  utilities.  (Street  lamp-posts, 
electric  car  windows,  hydrants,  etc.)  To  notify  the 
police  of  any  abuses  which  will  inconvenience  the 
public.  To  discuss  the  subject  of  poor  lighting,  inade-. 

73 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

quate  drainage,  infrequent  car  service,  if  such  condi- 
tions exist. 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

Would  public  ownership  create  activities  and  com- 
petition, or  develop  indifference?  Would  public 
ownership  lower  tax  rate?  Make  a  study  of  municipal 
ownership  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  and  Cleveland, 
Ohio.  Investigate  special  municipal  ownership  in. 
other  American  and  European  cities. 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

Reports  of  the  gas  works,  lighting  plants,  street  railway 
service,  and  other  public  utility  agencies. 

Richmond  and  Wallach,  Good  Citizenship.  American 
Book  Co.,  New  York. 

C.  D.  Willard,  City  Government  for  Young  People.  The 
Macmillan  Co.,  New  York. 

Frederick  C.  Howe,  The  City  ;  D.  F.  Wilcox,  The  Ameri- 
can City.  The  Macmillan  Co.,  New  York. 

Charles  ZuebUn,  American  Municipal  Progress.  The 
Macmillan  Co.,  New  York. 

WiUiam  B.  Guitteau,  Preparing  for  Citizenship,  and  Gov- 
ernment and  Politics  in  the  United  States.  Houghton 
Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 


74 


REVIEW  OF  COMMUNITY  LIFE 

9.  Review  of  community  life 

Introductory  discussion 

Every  little  while  the  teacher  has  to  make  sure 
that  her  class  is  keeping  in  mind  the  earlier  les- 
sons which  have  been  presented.  A  larger  and 
more  vital  review  should  be  required  after  all  the 
municipal  agencies  have  been  discussed.  The 
aim  of  such  a  review  should  be  to  present  a  bird's- 
eye  view  of  the  environment  around  the  school, 
and  the  relation  of  the  members  of  society  to  that 
community  life. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS 

What  public  interests  have  direct  relationship  to 
one's  home  life?  Which  of  the  important  civic  agen- 
cies would  be  most  immediately  missed  if  done  away 
with  in  the  crowded  tenement  district  —  the  sewer- 
age, health,  waterworks,  or  lighting?  What  would 
occur  to  the  general  morality  of  the  community  if 
schools  and  libraries  were  done  away  with?  What  gen- 
erally occurs  in  a  big  commercial  and  manufacturing 
center  when  a  strike  takes  place  in  connection  with 
rapid  transportation?  In  rural  districts  is  the  lack  of 
rapid  transit  of  any  great  moment?  What  is  the  need 
to  further  telephonic  and  telegraphic  communica- 
tion in  the  country?  Why  so  great  need  of  good  roads 
to-day  throughout  the  rural  districts?   Why  are  good 

75 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

schools  so  needed  in  rural  communities?  Why  should 
a  country  school  try  to  teach  agriculture,  and  a 
city  school  add  industrial  work?  Why  try  to  keep 
the  youth  in  the  country?  Why  try  to  improve  and 
advance  skilled  labor  in  the  city?  Why  not  encour- 
age the  country-born  boy  to  come  to  the  city?  What 
advantages  in  the  city  over  those  in  the  country? 
What  does  the  country  hold  out  as  advantages?  How 
does  the  cost  of  living  in  the  country  compare  with 
that  in  the  city?  What  makes  the  difference?  What 
is  a*  fair  living  wage  for  the  workingman?  What  is  a 
fair  living  wage  for  a  young  girl  in  the  city  who  must 
support  herself?  How  do  public  reading-rooms, 
libraries,  museums,  parks  and  playgrounds,  public 
dance  halls,  public  baths,  and  public  markets  help 
the  minimum  wage-earner  to  gain  a  little  more  hap- 
piness? How  do  the  following  organizations  help  to 
further  happiness  in  community  life:  college  settle- 
ments, community  centers,  civic  leagues,  musical 
associations,  and  school  centers?  Give  specific  illus- 
trations from  such  associations  in  your  own  com- 
munity. 

TOPICS   FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  Community  life. 

Provides  protection  to  life,  health,  and  property, 
through  police,  fire,  health,  street,  charity,  and  spe- 
cial laws  concerning  the  welfare  of  women,  children, 
and  workmen.  Provides  education  and  recreation 
through  schools,  museums,  libraries,  parks,  play- 

76 


# 


REVIEW  OF  COMMUNITY  LIFE 

grounds,  dance  halls,  concerts,  lectures.  Provides 
conveniences — telegraph,  telephone,  transportation, 
water,  light. 

Further  discussion 

Greater  opportunities  which  may  grow  through  larger 
community  life. 

Better  city  planning:  Laying-out  of  streets  and 
boulevards  with  an  idea  of  civic  beauty;  tree- 
planting;  open  spaces,  with  fountains  and  flowers; 
parkway  for  driving;  proper  location  for  school- 
houses  and  playgrounds;  removal  of  bill  boards;  laws 
against  smoke  nuisance;  underground  disposal  of 
wires;  architectural  construction  of  arches  and  tun- 
nels, lamp-posts,  and  entrances  to  public  property; 
and  the  abolishment  of  grade  crossings. 

Better  city  life:  minimum  wage;  eight  hours  of  work; 
vocational  schools;  information  bureaus  to  further 
employment;  summer  schools;  one  day  of  rest  for  la- 
borers; eight-hour  shifts  in  continuous  industries  (in 
such  occupations  as  railroad  service) ;  equal  pay  for 
equal  work;  hospitals;  parents  and  teachers'  associa- 
tion; municipal  moving-picture  shows;  open-air  con- 
certs; Sunday  entertainments;  prevention  of  trade 
poisoning;  advance  of  industrial  hygiene  in  occupa- 
tions. 

{B)  How  children  may  help  in  the  community. 

By  being  an  interested  junior  citizen,  active  in 
what  the  community  is  doing  for  every  one  and  not 

77 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

just  the  pupil's  own  family.  By  cooperation  in  the 
home,  the  school,  neighborhood,  and  town  or  ward; 
eager  to  help  parents  and  teachers;  a  friend  to  immi- 
grants and  strangers  in  the  neighborhood.  To  be 
honest.  To  lend  a  hand.  "A  friend,  not  alms."  Begin 
to  adorn  one's  own  house  with  flowers  toward  larger 
civic  beauty.  Own  a  pet,  a  dog,  cat,  bird.  Be  kind  to 
aged  and  infirm,  and  little  children.  Never  injure 
property  and  take  care  not  to  hurt  another's  feelings. 

SPECIAL    TOPICS 

Cities  already  famous  in  the  United  States  and  in 
Europe,  for  civic  lif e,[better  conditions,  welfare  move- 
ments, child  welfare,  human  welfare,  "civic  beauty." 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

C.  D.  Willard,  City  Government  for  Young  People.  The 

Macmillan  Co.,  New  York. 
Arthur  W.  Dunn,  The  Community  and  the  Citizen.   The 

Macmillan  Co.,  New  York. 
Thomas  N.  Carver,  Principles  of  Rural  Economics.  Ginn 

&  Co.,  Boston. 
Katharine  Coman,  What  we  owe  to  our  Fellow  Citizens ; 

Myron  E.  Pierce,  Concerning  Citizenship,  The  Civic 

Reader  for  New  Americans.  American  Book  Co.,  New 

York. 
Ellen  Key,  The  Century  of  the  Child.    Putnam's  Sons, 

New  York. 
Mary  Conyngton,  How  to  Help.    The  Macmillan  Co., 

New  York. 
Carlton  Hayes,  British  Social  Politics.    Ginn  &    Co., 

78 


REVIEW  OF  COMMUNITY  LIFE 

Boston.  (A  most  helpful  book  for  the  teacher  to  com- 
pare English  social  progress  with  that  in  the  United 
States.) 

John  Spargo,  The  Bitter  Cry  of  the  Children,  The  Mac- 
millan  Co.,  New  York. 

Woods  and  Kennedy,  Young  Working  Girls.  Houghton 
Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 

Jane  Addams,  Social  Progress.  The  Macmillan  Co.,  New 
York. 

Meyer  Bloomfield,  The  Vocational  Guidance  of  Youth. 
Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 

Mary  A.  Laselle  and  Katherine  Wiley,  Vocations  Jor  Girls, 

V  Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  Boston.  ^ 


79 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

10.  The  problem  of  immigration 

Introductory  discussion 

Both  the  knowledge  of  colonial  history  and  the 
general  information  gathered  from  experience  in 
the  neighborhood  will  give  the  pupils  ample 
material  from  which  to  answer  many  introduc- 
tory questions  connected  with  immigration  in  the 
community.  How  many  children  in  the  class 
were  bom  in  foreign  countries?  Whose  parents 
were  foreign-born?  Who  knows  from  what  coun- 
try their  early  ancestors  came  to  settle  in  the 
thirteen  colonies  ?  What  other  foreign  countries 
beside  England  and  Holland  settled  ,on  the  At- 
lantic seaboard?  What  characteristics  and  social 
customs  and  habits  were  introduced  by  the  early 
settlers  from  the  foreign  coimtries?  When  did  the 
Irish  come  to  this  country  in  large  numbers? 
The  French  Canadians?  Why  did  the  Italians 
and  Greeks  begin  to  come  near  the  close  of  the 
nineteenth  century?  What  national  contributions 
should  these  foreigners  bring?  For  instance,  the 
Greek  art;  the  French  fashions  and  manners. 
Make  a  list  of  the  various  nations  whose  contri- 
butions have  already  helped  to  form  American,  or 
in  all  probability  will  help  to  form  American,  ideals. 

80 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  IMMIGRATION 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  Causes  of  Immigration  :  — 

Desire  for  larger  opportunities;  better  wages;  free- 
dom from  religious  and  political  interference;  promise 
of  great  prosperity;  urgent  appeals  from  friends  and 
organizations;  crowded  conditions  in  the  home 
country. 

Need  of  immigrants  to  further  United  States  business: 
Unskilled  labor  for  factories,  machine  shops,  rail- 
roads, canals,  dikes,  mines,  quarries,  big  farming  in 
the  West. 

Further  discussion 

I 

What  great  ports  receive  the  large  proportion  of 
immigrants?  Where  is  Ellis  Island?  and  what  is  it? 
What  are  the  requisites  for  admission  for  foreigners 
into  this  country?  Who  are  excluded?  Why?  What 
political  creeds  are  looked  upon  as  unwelcome?  Why 
are  Mongolians  excluded?  Why  are  Indians  pre- 
vented from  naturalization  unless  they  leave  their 
tribe?  What  particular  diseases  are  particularly 
menacing  to  the  country?  What  is  a  quarantine  sta- 
tion? Why  should  such  care  be  taken  to  investigate 
the  steerage  of  all  vessels  and  the  personal  health  of 
all  people  who  enter  ports?  What  is  deportation? 
What  do  steamboat  companies  do  when  they  find 
that  foreigners  have  smuggled  themselves  into  the 
hold  of  a  ship  in  their  desire  to  reach  America?  What 
does  our  Government  do  when  steamship  companies 

8i 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

bring  over  people  who  are  not  fit  to  enter  our  ports? 
What  has  been  the  difficulty  with  the  padrone  sys- 
tem? 

(B)  The  responsibility  of  the  Government  in  relation 
to  the  immigrant:  — 

To  prevent  fraud,  abuse,  exploitation  of  the  newly 
arrived  foreigner;  to  help  place  immigrants  in  locali- 
ties fitted  to  their  needs  and  efficiency;  to  establish 
bureaus  of  information  and  employment  bureaus; 
to  make  and  enforce  laws  to  protect  the  immigrant; 
to  educate  him  in  American  citizenship  by  establish- 
ing day  and  night  schools,  community  centers,  civic 
leagues,  civic  service  houses,  and  other  organizations; 
to  foster  citizenship;  to  establish  a  standard  of  mini- 
mum wages;  to  better  housing  conditions;  to  manage 
cheaper  transportations  from  homes  to  work  centers. 

Further  discussion 

What  makes  the  environment  of  the  immigrant 
tend  toward  a  lower  standard  of  living?  How  has  the 
sweatshop  menace  grown  so  large  because  of  immi- 
grants? Why  do  so  many  immigrants  find  their  way 
into  our  hospitals,  asylums,  and  homes  for  incap- 
ables?  What  cities  of  necessity  are  studying  these 
problems  of  immigration?  When  a  mill  city  like 
Lawrence,  Massachusetts,  or  a  great  mining  and 
manufacturing  center  like  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania, 
is  confronted  with  conditions  which  menace  not  only 
the  health  and  property  of  those  in  control,  but  the 

82 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  IMMIGRATION 

health  and  living  conditions  of  the  very  poor,  why 
are  so-called  "surveys"  of  very  great  importance?  • 

(C)  Effects  of  immigration:  — 

Economic  effects:  The  settlement  of  undeveloped 
country;  the  expansion  of  localities  in  towns  and 
cities. 

Social  effects:  Increasing  number  of  classes  of  so- 
ciety and  unrelated  groups  of  people;  tendency  to 
lower  standard  of  morals  and  manners;  greater 
amount  of  crime,  pauperism,  and  vice;  municipal 
problems,  housing,  schools,  health,  transportation, 
enforcement  of  laws. 

Political  effects:  Growth  of  socialism;  menace  of 
anarchistical  ideas;  ward  bosses  in  cities. 

(D)  How  the  children  can  help  the  immigration 
problem:  — 

Personal  interest  in  making  acquaintances  at 
school  among  immigrant  children;  interest  in  their 
racial  contribution  to  society;  appreciation  of  folk- 
dances,  folk-songs,  folk-stories;  effort  to  overcome 
race  prejudice;  readiness  to  cooperate  with  foreigners 
in  social  life;  willingness  to  help  them  understand  the 
laws  and  customs  of  the  United  States. 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

Story  of  life  in  the  steerage.  Resumes  of  books 
which  are  peculiarly  interesting,  as,  Mary  Antin's 
Promised  Land.  A  study  of  the  work  of  the  Bureau  of 

83 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

Immigration,  under  the  control  of  the  Department 
of  Commerce  of  the  United  States.  A  visit  from  an 
adult  immigrant,  who  will  talk  before  the  class  upon 
the  subject  of  what  immigration  means  to  him  or  to 
her. 


84 


NATURALIZATION 

II.  Naturalization 

Suggestions  for  discussion 

Many  members  of  the  class  will  know  from 
family  experience  something  of  the  process  of 
naturalization  and  its  privileges.  Such  questions 
as  the  following  will  naturally  arise:  How  many 
of  your  fathers  have  the  privilege  of  voting?  Why 
or  why  not?  If  your  parents  were  born  abroad, 
how  did  they  acquire  their  citizenship  in  the 
United  States?  Have  you  ever  heard  your  father 
describe  just  what  happened  when  he  was  natu- 
ralized? Were  witnesses  necessary?  Were  the 
witnesses  American  citizens? 

The  Process  of  naturalization  fixed  by  Congress, 

igo6 

Requirements:  After  two  years'  residence,  decla- 
ration of  intention  taken  out  at  a  court.  (Courts 
for  naturalization  sit  once  in  three  months.)  The 
papers  called  the  "Declaration  of  Intention '*  are 
kept  by  the  one  who  declares  his  intentions. 
Three  years  later  the  foreigner,  having  lived  in 
the  United  States  for  three  years,  and  in  a  given 
State  for  one  year,  files  his  second  papers  before  a 
court.  Two  witnesses  are  necessary;  they  swear 

8s 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

to  his  personal  character  of  honesty  and  good 
intentions,  to  his  willingness  to  abjure  his  mother 
country  and  to  renounce  his  former  allegiance; 
he  takes  an  oath  of  allegiance  that  he  believes  in 
the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  that  if 
necessary  he  will  take  up  arms  to  support  the 
country. 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

Federal  Reports  of  the  Bureau  of  Immigration. 
State  Reports  of  Commissions  of  Immigration. 
Reports  of  Labor  Laws. 

Reports  of  Civic  Service  Houses,  College  Settlements. 
Albert  Bushnell  Hart,  Actual  Government.    Longmans 

Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 
William  A.  McKeever,  Training  the  Boy.  The  Macmillan 

Co.,  New  York. 
Mary  Antin,  The  Promised  Land,  and  They  Who  Knock  at 

Our  Gates.  Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 
James  PuSer,  Vocational  Guidance.  Rand,  McNally  &  Co., 

Chicago. 
Edward  M.  Steiner,  On  the  Trail  of  the  Immigrant.  F.  H. 

Revell  Co.,  New  York  and  Chicago. 
Charles  Stelzle,  The  Workingman  and  Social  Problems. 

The  Macmillan  Co.,  New  York. 
Nathaniel  C  Fowler,  Jr.,  How  to  Obtain  Citizenship.  Sully 

&  Kleenteich,  New  York. 
A.  M.  Rihbany,  A  Far  Journey.  Houghton  Mifflin  Co., 

Boston. 


86 


RIGHTS  OF  CITIZENSHIP 

12.  Rights  and  privileges  of  citizenship 

Introductory  discussion 

The  interest  of  the  class  has  been  centered  upon 
the  activities  of  government  for  many  lessons. 
The  time  comes  when  the  teacher  can  bring 
before  the  class  not  only  a  review  of  the  life  in  the 
community  and  the  responsibiHty  of  each  mem- 
ber of  society  in  relation  to  the  community,  but 
also  the  actual  legal  rights  and  obligations  that 
belong  to  what  is  called  citizenship  in  the  United 
States.  The  first  questions  may  be  shaped  in 
some  such  form  as  these:  Who  are  American  citi- 
zens? Who  are  aliens?  Have  you  ever  heard  of 
"homeless  ones"  (heimathlosen)  ?  What  does 
"losing  one's  citizenship"  mean?  Who  are  colo- 
nists and  dependents?  Are  all  the  American 
Indians  citizens,  or  only  a  few  of  them?  Are  there 
any  Chinese  in  this  country  who  are  citizens? 
Are  women  and  children  citizens?  Are  the  same 
rights  of  citizenship  which  are  embedded  in  the 
Federal  Constitution  also  expressed  in  all  of  the 
forty-eight  state  constitutions? 


87 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  Citizenship  found  in  ten  amendments  to  the  Fed* 
eral  Constitution  of  the  United  States :  — 

Personal  liberty  (right  to  come  and  go  without 
restraint). 

Personal  security  (right  to  enjoy  life,  health, 
reputation,  pursuit  of  happiness). 

Right  to  assemble  (peaceably  for  discussion). 

Right  to  petition. 

Right  to  worship. 

Freedom  of  speech  and  press. 

Freedom  from  unreasonable  search  of  one's  body 
or  house. 

Right  to  protect  private  property  (getting,  using, 
disposing  of  all  property  that  one  calls '^nd 
can  prove  to  be  his  own.  With  due  process  of 
law  and  for  just  compensation.  Government 
can  take  private  property  for  public  purposes). 

Right  of  one's  personal  time  and  labor. 

Right  of  trial  by  jury. 

Right  of  bail. 

Protection  from  excessive  bail. 

Speedy  trials. 

Assistance  for  defense. 

Protection  from  second  trials  for  same  offense. 

Protection  from  unusual  punishment. 


88 


RIGHTS  OF  CITIZENSHIP 

Further  discussion 

The  children  should  know  that  there  are  three 
ways  in  which  citizenship  is  acquired  —  by  birth,  by 
naturalization,  and  by  annexation.  The  study  of 
their  American  history  will  help  them  in  answering 
these  questions.  When  did  the  people  of  Missouri 
become  citizens  of  our  country?  When  did  the  Alas- 
kans, or  the  people  of  Porto  Rico  become  American 
citizens?  Are  the  Japanese  citizens  of  California?  Do 
any  States  permit  the  women  to  vote  upon  all  sub- 
jects? How  came  the  privilege  to  be  given  to  them  in 
certain  States  and  not  in  others?  Are  children,  born 
of  American  parents  who  live  in  foreign  countries, 
American  citizens,  or  citizens  of  the  foreign  country 
in  which  they  were  born?  If  a  baby  were  born  in 
Germany,  would  his  United  States  parentage  pre- 
vent him  from  being  impressed  into  the  German 
army  at  an  eligible  age? 

{B)  Obligations  of  all  American  citizens :  — 

All  American  citizens  are  held  responsible  to 
local,  state,  and  national  laws. 

They  must  submit  to  court  decision  and  accept 
the  punishment  awarded. 

They  must  help  keep  order  in  the  government 
when  called  upon,  —  serve  in  the  state  mili- 
tia, or  send  an  equivalent  and  serve  on  juries, 
take  part  in  public  elections  and  uphold  the 
form  of  government  of  the  country. 

Pay  taxes,  if  taxed. 

89 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

In  presenting  the  idea  of  the  relationship  of  the 
individual  citizen  to  his  community  and  country, 
there  is  an  important  opportunity  to  bring  before  the 
class  the  personal  contributions  of  certain  well-known 
men  and  women  who  have  made  the  town  famous 
because  of  what  they  have  done  to  promote  the  gen- 
eral welfare.  Any  one  or  all  of  these  questions  will  be 
possible  of  enlargement  for  such  special  topics;  they 
should  be  rich  in  local  history  color.  Who  have  been 
the  "good  citizens"  of  our  town  or  city?  Who  were 
the  pioneers  to  settle  the  country  in  this  locaHty? 
What  names  are  honored  because  of  service  in  times 
of  early  wars?  What  heroes  have  given  noble  serv- 
ice in  other  ways?  Who  founded  the  first  schools? 
Who  started  the  public  library?  What  men  and 
women  have  been  instrumental  in  furthering  church 
work?  Who  have  taken  an  interest  in  associated 
charities  and  philanthropies?  Why  are  streets  often 
named  for  a  person  in  a  community;  or  a  park  named 
for  some  one?  Have  you  seen  fountains  or  statues  in 
public  places  in  honor  of  good  citizens?  Have  there 
been  portraits  of  men  and  women  hung  in  public] 
places  in  memory  of  their  good  deeds? 

-.   HELPFUL  READINGS 

Jane  Addams,  Works.  The  Macmillan  Co.,  New  York. 
Walter  Weyl,  The  New  Democracy.  The  MacmillanjCo., 
New  York. 

90 


RIGHTS  OF  CITIZENSHIP 

E.  N.  Clopper,  Child  Labor  and  the  City  Streets.   The 

Macmillan  Co.,  New  York. 
Thomas  N.  Carver,  Principles  of  Rural  Economics.  Ginn 

&  Co.,  Boston.  (Chapter  on  "  Problems  of  Rural  Social 

Life  "  particularly  helpful.) 
M.  E.  Richmond,  The  Good  Neighbor.   Lippincott  Co., 

Philadelphia. 
Frederick  C.  Howe,  The  City.    Chas.  Scribner's  Sons, 

New  York. 
Wilson  L.  Gill,  A  New  Citizenship.  American  Political 

League. 


91 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 


13.  Organization  of  a  Junior  Civic  League 
in  a  Community 

Suggestions  for  discussion 

In  school  centers,  in  college  settlements,  in 
civic  settlements,  the  time  arises  when  groups  of 
boys  and  girls  or  young  men  and  young  women 
seem  to  feel  that  an  organization  or  league  may 
be  formed  in  which  they  may  further  their  grow- 
ing ideals  of  good  citizenship.  In  the  public 
schools  such  leagues  have  a  larger  field  for  activ- 
ity than  an3n;vhere  else.  The  teacher  may  set 
forth  not  only  the  need  of  the  organization,  but 
the  method  of  forming  such  a  league,  and  the  work 
that  may  be  accomplished.  What  should  be  the 
object  of  a  civic  league  in  our  school?  Should  it 
have  a  name?  By  what  method  might  the  mem- 
bership become  possible?  Would  a  sign  or  sym- 
bol of  the  membership  help  to  develop  enthusi- 
asm? Would  you  prefer  a  button  or  a  pin  or  a 
ring?  What  would  the  duties  of  the  officers  be? 
What  officers  should  be  appointed?  How  should 
they  be  chosen?  How  often  should  there  be  meet- 
ings? Should  there  be  a  pledge  taken  by  officers 
and  members  together?  What  should  this  pledge 
include? 

92 


ORGANIZATION  OF  A  JUNIOR  LEAGUE 

The  Pledge 

I  pledge  myself  not  to  deface  any  fence  or  building, 
neither  will  I  scatter  paper  nor  throw  rubbish  in 
public  places;  I  will  not  injure  any  tree,  shrub,  or 
lawn;  I  promise  not  to  spit  upon  the  floor  of  the 
schoolhouse,  nor  upon  the  sidewalk;  I  will  protect 
the  property  of  others  as  I  would  my  own;  I  will  al- 
ways protect  birds  and  other  animals;  I  will  promise 
to  try  to  be  a  true  loyal  citizen. 

(Signed) 

Witness:  — 
Principal, 

The School  Civic  League 

Constitution  and  By-Laws 

article  i 
Name  and  object 

Section  i.  We  shall  be  known  as  the 

Civic  League  of 

Section  2.  The  object  shall  be  to  help  keep 
our  school  and  neighborhood  beautiful,  clean,  and 
healthful. 

ARTICLE  II 

Membership 

Section  i.  All  pupils  in  the Gram- 
mar (or  High)  School  can  become  members  by  mak- 
ing known  their  wish  to  join  and  signing  the  League 
Pledge. 

Section  2.  Every  member  is  entitled  to  a  button. 

93 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

ARTICLE  m 

Officers 

Section  i.  The  officers  of  such  League  shall  be  a 
President,  Vice-President,  and  Secretary,  who  shall 
hold  office  for  one  school  year.  The  President  shall 
be  chosen  from  the  ninth  grade.  There  shall  also 
be  an  Executive  Committee,  composed  of  the  Presi- 
dent, Vice-President,  Secretary,  and  two  members 
of  the  faculty.  These  officers  shall  be  elected  by 
ballot. 

ARTICLE  IV 

Duties  of  officers 

Section  i.  The  President  shall  call  the  meetings 
to  order,  call  for  reports  on  violation  and  the  per- 
formance of  the  pledge,  and  act  as  captain  of  the 
League. 

Section  2.  The  Vice-President  shall  preside  over 
all  meetings  in  the  absence  of  the  President. 

Section  3.  The  Secretary  shall  keep  a  record  of  all 
the  reports  given  and  shall  read  the  reports  at  each 
meeting. 

Section  4.  The  Executive  Committee  shall  advise 
in  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  League. 

ARTICLE  V 

Meetings 

Section  i.  Meetings  shall  be  called  by  the  Presi- 
dent, subject  to  the  direction  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee, j 

94] 


ORGANIZATION  OF  A  JUNIOR  LEAGUE 

Further  discussion 

The  enthusiasm  of  a  club  or  league  is  of  course  at 
the  high  tide  at  the  moment  of  initiation  after  the 
organization  has  been  formed,  and  the  balloting  for 
officers.  At  once  committees  must  be  formed  that 
answer  the  immediate  needs  of  the  school  at  the  time 
of  the  organization,  and  further  committees  will  have 
to  be  appointed  as  the  seasons  change,  or  as  events  in 
the  school  give  occasion.  These  questions  may  sug- 
gest further  ideas  relative  to  committee  work.  What 
committees  should  be  formed  to  care  for  the  window 
boxes,  and  for  the  planting  and  transplanting  of 
bulbs?  For  the  inspection  of  waste-baskets?  For  the 
care  of  unclaimed  property?  For  the  oversight  of 
seat-work  material?  Shall  the  outdoor  gardens  be 
supervised?  Shall  there  be  inspectors  of  the  streets 
around  the  school  grounds  who  are  responsible  for 
the  appearance?  Should  the  committees  have  any 
oversight  of  the  property  of  the  parks  and  play- 
grounds where  the  children  have  the  privilege  of 
playing?  Could  the  pupils  in  the  manual  training 
room  make  pointed  sticks  which  would  help  in 
gathering  together  newspapers  and  other  rubbish? 
Should  the  members  of  the  civic  leagues  attempt  to 
interfere  with  what  others  are  doing;  for  instance,  if 
a  man  were  whipping  a  horse  cruelly,  what  could  the 
pupil  do?  If  lawless  persons  wrote  sentences  with 
chalk  on  fences  in  the  neighborhood,  would  members 
of  the  committees  feel  that  they  might  erase  such 
blemishes?  Would  it  be  too  much  to  expect  a  boy  to 

95 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

help  a  woman  put  out  an  ash  barrel  if  he  saw  it  was 
too  heavy  for  her  to  carry?  Would  members  of  the 
league  be  expected  to  give  strangers  advice  if  they 
were  asked? 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

A  pledge  means  but  little  unless  one  can  see  that 
the  promises  are  being  kept.  The  teacher  may  keep 
a  set  of  cards,  one  for  each  member  of  the  league, 
upon  which  a  record  may  be  made  of  how  each  child 
has  not  only  kept  the  pledge  in  spirit,  but  furthered 
the  work  of  good  citizenship  by  giving  personal 
assistance. 


96 


POSTAL  SERVICE 

14.  Postal  Service 

Introductory  discussion 

The  postman  with  his  mailbag  is  everywhere 
in  these  days.  He  is  a  thrice-told  tale  every  day 
to  the  children  in  the  crowded  cities,  and  an  antic- 
ipated event  to  those  who  live  on  the  country 
farm,  who  are  watching  for  the  little  wagon  that 
stops  at  the  letter  box  at  the  end  of  the  lane.  The 
narrative  of  how  a  letter  travels  when  once  the 
United  States  postage  stamp  is  placed  in  the 
corner  of  the  envelope  can  be  made  a  story  most 
thrilling  when  presented  in  a  vital  manner.  Such 
a  story  was  actually  told  in  the  Outlook  not  many 
months  ago. 

It  does  not  matter  just  how  the  lesson  in  civics 
is  opened  which  deals  with  the  postal  service  in 
the  community  and  the  agencies  behind  the  daily 
delivery  which  together  make  up  the  Department 
of  the  Post-Office.  Any  of  the  following  questions 
will  open  the  discussion  and  lead  to  many  more. 
Have  you  ever  visited  the  post-office?  Why  are 
you  not  allowed  to  go  behind  the  scenes  and 
watch  the  handling  of  the  mail?  Why  should 
there  be  such  strict  laws  and  regulations?  Do 
you  remember  from  your  study  of  American 

97 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

history  when  a  Post-OfSce  Department  was  first 
established?  What  has  made  it  grow  so  tremen- 
dously? How  is  the  mail  carried?  What  are  the 
modes  of  conveyance?  What  is  meant  by  the 
Government  letting  out  contracts?  What  is 
meant  by  first-class,  second-class,  and  third- 
class  mail?  Have  you  ever  received  letters  by 
rural  delivery?  How  long  has  the  parcel  post 
been  established  by  the  national  Post-Office 
Department? 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  Post-Office  Department :  — 

Postmaster-General.  Supervisor  of  all  postal  service 
work,  establishment  and  discontinuance  of  all  post- 
oflSces. 

First  Assistant  Postmaster-General.  In  charge  of 
international  postage,  relationships  with  steamship 
lines,  official  appointments,  stationery,  and  blanks. 

Second  Assistant  Postmaster-General.  In  charge  of 
letting  out  contracts  for  mail  carrying,  choice  of 
modes  of  conveyance  of  mail,  regulation  of  times  and 
arrival  and  departure  of  mail,  offices  of  distribution. 

Third  Assistant  Postmaster-General.  In  charge  of 
Dead  Letter  Office,  stamp  department,  financial 
business. 

Municipal  postmasters.  Appointed  by  National 
Government;  have  general  charge  of  municipal 
postal  service;  four  classes  of  post-offices.   Duties. 

98. 


POSTAL  SERVICE 

Charge  of  finances,  sale  of  stamps,  stamped  envel- 
opes, newspaper  wrappers,  special  delivery  and  regis- 
try stamps,  money  orders  and  regular  letters.  Accu- 
rate account  of  number  of  mail  sacks  and  delivery 
pouches  sent  out  and  received.  In  large  cities,  the 
Superintendent  of  Mails  relieves  the  postmaster  of 
this  work.  The  Superintendent  of  Delivery  in  large 
cities  has  charge  of  all  letter  carriers,  clerks,  special 
delivery  messenger  boys.  The  parcel  post,  also,  in 
large  cities,  is  under  a  special  superintendent. 

Clerks.  Have  charge  of  separate  mail  not  carried  to 
letter  boxes;  charge  of  registry  and  money  orders. 

Carriers.  Have  charge  of  the  collection  and  deliv- 
ery of  mail  on  the  street. 

Further  discussion 

In  order  to  break  the  strain  in  the  discussion  of  a 
topic  which  includes  so  much  detail,  the  teacher  may 
ask  the  pupils  for  stories,  real  or  imaginary,  con- 
nected with  the  sending  of  an  important  letter.  The 
topics  connected  with  rural  free  delivery  will  also 
lend  themselves  to  the  imagination. 

{B)  Rural  Free  Delivery  :  — 

Establishment  of  mail  service  on  fixed  line  of 
travel  daily  for  people  in  remote  districts. 

Requirements  and  necessities.  Fairly  good  roads; 
unobstructed  gates;  no  unbridged  creeks  or  streams; 
twenty-four  miles  the  limit  of  the  tour;  a  hundred 
families  upon  the  route;  people  furnishing  their  own 

99 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

boxes;  prescribed  route,  area  not  more  than  nineteen 
square  miles,  population  of  600  or  more  persons,  or 
150  houses  en  route. 

Requirements  of  carriers.  Must  not  act  as  agents, 
salesmen,  or  solicitors  for  express  companies;  may 
act  as  agents  for  newspapers  and  sell  newspapers; 
may  carry  postage  stamps,  postal  cards,  envelopes, 
money-order  blanks;  required  to  make  trip  in  person 
every  day  in  the  year  except  Sunday. 

Requirements  regarding  boxes.  The  following  rules 
are  fixed  by  the  postmaster:  regulation  as  to  size, 
shape,  and  workmanship;  galvanized  sheet  iron  or 
steel  construction,  with  signal  by  which  collector 
will  know  that  mail  lies  in  box  for  collection. 

Benefits  of  rural  delivery.  Stimulation  of  social  and 
business  correspondence,  increase  of  press  and  peri- 
odical literature,  hence,  increased  postal  receipts; 
farm  life  brought  into  contact  with  the  large  business 
world;  rural  free  delivery  demands  good  roads,  hence, 
farms  rise  in  value  along  the  roads. 

Dead  Letter  Office.  Division  of  letters :  three  classes, 
foreign,  unmailable,  and  dead.  All  large  municipal 
post-offices  return  unclaimed  mail  each  week  to  the 
Dead  Letter  Office;  small  post-offices  return  once  a 
month.  Work  of  the  office.  Receipt  of  all  dead  letters; 
to  ascertain  if  letters  contain  anything  other  than 
correspondence;  to  make  effort  to  trace  the  writer  of 
letter  and  return  same.  Letters  containing  no  address 
go  to  the  waste-basket.  All  valuables  in  dead  letters 
are  held  by  the  office.  Great  care  is  taken  to  return 

100 


POSTAL  SERVIGE 

I  to  the  sender  or  to  the  possible  receiver;  public  auc- 
tion sale  follows  when  restoration  is  impossible; 
annual  sale  lasts  a  week.  This  bureau  employs  over 
twenty  clerks  who  open,  sort,  and  deposit  an  average 
of  18,000  letters  per  day. 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

The  story  of  Rowland  Hill's  work  for  cheaper 
postage  in  England;  description  of  postal  service 
across  the  Great  Plains  of  the  United  States  in 
pioneer  days;  urgent  appeal  that  the  Christmas  and 
Valentine  Day  mail  shall  be  made  less  crowded  for 
the  carriers;  the  relationship  of  the  Red  Cross  move- 
ment with  postal  service;  the  story  of  the  growing 
service  of  the  parcel  post. 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

Federal  Reports  of  the  Postmaster-General. 

Albert  Bushnell  Hart,  Actual  Government.    Longmans, 

Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 
W.  W.  Willoughby,  The  Rights  and  Duties  of  American 

Citizenship.  American  Book  Co.,  New  York. 
William  B.   Guitteau,   Government  and  Politics  in  the 

United  States.  Houghton  Mifflin  Co,  Boston. 
James  and  Sanford,  Government  in  the  State  and  Nation. 

Chas.  Scribner's  Sons.  New  York. 
R.  L.  Ashley,  Government  and  the  Citizen.  The  Macmillan 

Co.,  New  York. 
See  Poolers  Index  for  magazine  articles. 


lOI 


THE  tSACHiNG  OF  CIVICS 


I  15.  The  regulation  of  labor 

Introductory  discussion 

The  teacher  will  be  able  to  approach  this  sub- 
ject most  simply  by  the  discussion  of  whether 
children  can  go  to  work  at  an  earlier  age  than 
fourteen.  To  show  that  state  and  national  laws 
are  made  to  protect  society  both  individually  and 
collectively  will  seem  at  the  outset  a  difficult 
task.  But  in  most  States  to-day,  there  are  enough 
legislative  enactments  which  the  children  can 
understand  to  assist  the  teacher  in  interpreting 
the  work  of  the  United  States  Government  in 
relation  to  labor  in  its  largest  sense.  Already  the 
most  important  department  or  bureau  connected 
with  the  Department  of  Labor  consists  in  its  rela- 
tionship with  the  Bureau  of  Immigration  which 
has  already  been  discussed. 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  Labor  questions  in  which  the  children  should  take 
an  interest:  — 

Cost  of  living  —  retail  prices  and  wholesale  prices. 
Wages  —  the  minimum  wage. 
Hours  of  labor  —  women  in  industry. 
Industrial  accidents. 

102 


THE  REGULATION  OF  LABOR 

Occupational  diseases. 

Industrial  hygiene. 

Workmen's  insurance,  workmen's  compensation. 

Sweatshops,  infant  mortality. 

Further  discussion 

In  how  far  these  topics  may  be  discussed  in  the 
class  will  depend  upon  the  environment  of  the  school- 
room. The  publications  of  the  national  Department 
of  Labor  not  only  consist  of  frequent  reports  upon  all 
these  subjects,  but  more  than  twenty  volumes  have 
been  published  with  details  in  connection  with  the 
condition  of  woman  and  child  wage-earners  in  the 
United  States,  and  on  conditions  of  employment  for 
both  men  and  women  in  industry.  The  informal  ques- 
tion in  the  classroom  is  the  one  that  obtains  general 
information.  Do  you  know  men  who  work  more  than 
eight  hours  a  day?  Why  is  it  dangerous  to  keep  men 
on  twelve-hour  shifts?  For  a  railroad  company, 
which  in  the  long  run  would  be  less  expensive,  to 
have  three  shifts  of  men  a  day,  or  two  shifts?  Why 
is  this  so  much  more  important  on  the  railroad  than 
in  excavations  on  canals  and  harbors?  What  about 
hours  for  labor  in  mines?  Would  a  twelve-hour  shift 
of  men  in  a  factory  be  likely  to  do  as  good  work  as 
those  who  work  but  eight  hours?  Why  has  society 
begun  to  feel  that  children  must  not  go  to  work  until 
after  fourteen,  or  sixteen  if  possible?  Why  do  we 
need  a  race  of  finely  developed  men  and  women? 
Why  should  employers  be  glad  to  accept  laws  in 

103 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

connection  with  industrial  accidents?  What  does 
workmen's  insurance  really  mean?  and  workmen's 
compensation  ? 

In  191 2  Congress  provided  for  the  organization  of 
a  new  bureau  to  be  known  as  the  "Children's 
Bureau."  The  class  will  be  interested  in  learning  that 
the  functions  of  this  new  bureau  are  to  investigate 
and  report  on  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare 
of  children  and  child  life  among  all  classes  of  our 
people,  and  especially  to  investigate  the  questions  of 
infant  mortality,  the  birth  rate,  orphanage,  juvenile 
courts,  desertion,  dangerous  occupations,  accidents 
and  diseases  of  children,  employment  and  legislation 
affecting  children  in  the  several  States.  The  law  is 
not  designed  to  encroach  on  the  right  of  States  or  to 
relieve  them  of  the  duty  of  dealing  with  this  subject, 
but  to  furnish  information  to  enable  them  to  deal 
with  it  more  successfully.  It  also  presumes  that  there 
is  a  duty  on  the  part  of  the  National  Government  to 
aid  in  getting  information  and  data  with  a  view  to 
assisting  in  this  work,  and  that  the  Government  can 
get  such  information  and  data  more  effectively  than 
can  the  respective  States. 


104 


INDUSTRIES 

i6.  Industries 

Introductory  discussion 

The  class  knows  from  the  study  of  American 
history  that  in  colonial  days  much  of  the  work 
was  done  in  the  home  or  in  individual  workshops. 
Not  until  later  did  organizations  where  workmen 
were  bound  together  become  so  important  that  it 
was  necessary  to  make  laws  to  regulate  the  price 
of  goods,  the  wages  of  workmen,  and  the  hours  of 
work.  The  children  know  that  such  conditions 
do  exist  to-day,  and  that  labor  organizations 
have  also  helped  to  bring  about  inspection  in  con- 
nection with  health,  child  labor,  safety  of  em- 
ployees, the  valuation  of  skilled  labor,  the  pay- 
ment for  accidental  injuries  in  industries,  and  the 
protection  of  the  unemployed.  The  following 
questions  ought  to  help  the  children  to  see  both 
sides  of  the  labor  question:  Why  should  there  be 
labor  legislation  to  secure  wholesome  conditions 
of  work?  Why  should  child  labor  be  prohibited? 
Why  provide  for  safety  appliances  on  railroads 
and  in  mines?  Why  should  the  Government 
think  it  a  duty  to  interfere  with  strikes,  riots  and 
mobs?  What  is  arbitration?  What  are  trade 
unions?    Why  should  careful  investigation  on 

105 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

both  sides  take  place  before  arbitration  decides 
the  rights  and  wrongs  of  strikes?  Why  do  work- 
men become  dissatisfied  with  their  work?  Why 
do  workmen  generally  strike?  Can  the  workmen 
live  very  long  at  the  time  of  a  strike  without  aid 
from  other  trade  imions?  Do  you  think  it  wise  for 
workmen  to  belong  to  trade  unions?  How  far  do 
you  think  the  Government,  federal,  state,  or  mu- 
nicipal, has  a  right  to  make  regulations  in  regard 
to  private  industry?  Consider  this  from  the  point 
of  view  of  the  employer,  the  employee,  and  the 
public.  Is  a  private  industry  really  a  private  af- 
fair? Do  business  men  owe  a  duty  to  the  public 
even  if  they  do  own  their  business?  (The  class 
may  investigate  the  welfare  movement,  and  note 
whether  in  their  city,  in  mills,  shops,  or  stores, 
the  employers  are  establishing  welfare  ideas,  or 
in  other  words,  cooperation  and  profit-sharing 
to  the  advance  of  the  business.) 

Discuss  the  local  cost  of  living,  rates  of  wages, 
regulations  in  regard  to  extra  work  and  extra 
hours. 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  Rates  of  wages  {"general  average'^  throughout  the 
United  States):  — 

Blacksmiths,  $2.26;  railroad  hands,  $1.45;  carpen- 

106 


INDUSTRIES 

ters,  $2.42;  masons,  $2.79;  glassmakers,  $1.79;  cotton 
mills,  $1.40;  woolen  mills,  $1.24.  (The  class  may- 
note  the  difference  between  wages  for  skilled  labor 
and  intelligence,  with  shorter  hours,  and  automatic 
machinery  which  does  not  take  great  intelligence.) 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

Reports  of  Department  of  Labor. 

Reports  of  Labor  Commissions. 

Reports  of  trades  unions. 

Magazine  articles. 

Albert  Bushnell  Hart,  Actual  Government.    Longmans, 

Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 
C.   D.   Wright,  Industrial  Evolution.    Scribner's  Sons, 

New  York. 
James  W.  Garner,  Government  in  the  United  States.  Amer- 
ican Book  Co.,  New  York. 
Thomas  Davidson,  Education  of  the  Wage-Earners.  Ginn 

&  Co.,  Boston. 
C.  F.  Dole,  The  American  Citizen.  D.  C.  Heath  &  Co., 

Boston. 
William   B.  Guitteau,  Government  and   Politics   in  the 

United  States  and  Preparing  for  Citizenship.  Houghton 

Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 


107 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

17.  The  Department  of  Agriculture 

Introductory  discussion 

So  many  bureaus  of  activities  have  been  devel- 
oped under  the  supervision  of  this  great  agency 
for  good  that  one  may  begin  to  ask  questions 
about  the  work  at  any  one  of  a  dozen  distinct 
lines  of  interest. 

What  does  the  Weather  Bureau  do  to  help  us 
in  our  everyday  hfe?  Does  the  Bureau  of  Soils 
affect  life  in  the  city  as  much  as  in  the  country? 
How  does  this  bureau  affect  life  in  the  big  cities 
in  a  most  important  though  indirect  way?  What 
about  our  Pure-Food  Laws?  and  proper  cold  stor- 
age regulations?  and  pure  drugs?  How  has  the 
Bureau  of  Chemistry  helped  to  make  these  laws 
and  regulations?  The  Forestry  Bureau  and  its 
work  affects  the  Hfe  in  the  city  as  well  as  in  the 
country:  can  you  see  what  would  happen  in  a 
great  mill  town  if  the  forests  on  the  hillsides  where 
streams  and  rivers  rise  were  so  devastated  that 
floods  occurred  in  the  spring  and  long  droughts 
in  the  summer? 


108 


DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  Important  bureaus  in  the  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture: — 

Bureau  of  Animal  Industry  (to  better  the  live 
stock  of  the  country).  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry  (to 
increase  and  protect  the  vegetation).  Bureau  of 
Chemistry  (to  advance  knowledge  of  nutritious  foods 
and  to  reduce  the  cost  of  living,  and  to  protect  from 
poisonous  and  injurious  foods).  Bureau  of  Biological 
Survey  (to  investigate  nature  and  to  further  educa- 
tional ideas  regarding  same).  Bureau  of  Entomology 
(for  the  study  of  the  prevention  of  insect  pests). 
Bureau  of  Soils  ("how  to  make  two  blades  of  grass 
grow  where  one  blade  did  grow,"  and  to  prevent  the 
waste  of  soil  and  the  reclamation  of  the  same). 
Forest  Service  (for  the  protection  of  forest  reserva- 
tions from  fire,  and  the  development  of  homestead 
and  other  interests  connected  with  the  reservations). 
The  Weather  Bureau  (to  disseminate  information  to 
aid  navigation,  crop  producers,  and  general  trade 
and  commerce  everywhere).  Bureaus  of  Public 
Roads,  Experimental  Stations,  and  so  on. 

Further  discussion 

The  children  should  know  that  the  Department  of 
Agriculture  has  developed  an  educational  campaign 
to  increase  the  scientific  knowledge  of  farming  and  to 
help  develop  home  life  on  the  farm. 

Have  experimental   trains  visited  your  town  or 

109 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

neighboring  towns?  What  expert  knowledge  was  pre- 
sented in  these  trains  which  ought  to  help  the  farm- 
ers? Have  you  seen  the  Farmers'  Bulletin  published 
by  the  Government?  Have  the  girls  in  the  class  seen 
the  cook  book  also  published  by  the  Department? 
If  not,  why  not  send  for  one?  Why  not  also  send  for 
a  list  of  published  bulletins  printed  by  the  Govern- 
ment for  circulation?  How  many  experimental  sta- 
tions connected  with  the  United  States  Department 
of  Agriculture  are  located  in  this  State?  Has  this 
State  an  Agricultural  College?  Are  there  agricul- 
tural high  schools  in  this  State?  Has  your  town  or 
city  introduced  school  gardens?  Are  there  superin- 
tendents of  agriculture  connected  with  the  school 
boards  who  supervise  farming  in  your  State  or  county? 
In  some  States  there  are  Boys'  Agricultural  Clubs; 
why  should  such  school  extension  be  considered  most 
effective  for  reaching,  holding,  and  directing  the 
interest  of  the  pupils?  Why  should  such  clubs  be  sup- 
posed to  promote  better  industrial  and  economic 
conditions  in  the  community?  In  one  State  a  bulle- 
tin is  published  under  the  title  "  School  Aids  to  the 
Community";  it  suggests  as  aims  of  the  work  to  be 
carried  out  by  the  children  taking  a  course  in  agri- 
culture problems  like  these:  Would  the  class  be 
better  able  to  select  farm  animals  and  know  more 
concerning  the  feeding  of  them?  Would  it  bring  out 
better  testing  of  milk  and  cream?  Ought  there  to  be 
a  more  scientific  knowledge  of  the  cost  of  materials 
and  the  cost  of  labor  for  a  farm?  Would  methods  for 


no 


DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE 

the  destruction  of  insects  be  advanced?  Would 
double  crops  ensue  if  a  greater  knowledge  of  seeds, 
soils,  and  cultivation  were  studied?  If  girls  studied 
domestic  science,  would  they  be  able  to  cook  a 
school  noonday  meal?  If  the  people  in  the  country 
learn  the  best  ways  to  market  their  produce,  and  the 
best  way  to  raise  their  farm  products,  will  this  in  the 
long  run  affect  the  cost  of  living  in  the  city? 

(B)  How  the  Department  helps  us  in  our  homes:  — 

Dietary  knowledge.  (Selection  and  preparation  of 
nutritious  foods;  better  cereals;  how  to  prepare  and 
use  fruits,  fresh  and  dried;  quality  of  poultry  and  eggs 
improved;  processes  of  cooking;  new  fruits  and  vege- 
tables imported  from  foreign  countries;  condensed 
milk  and  desiccated  milk;  better  breadmaking,  better 
butter-making,  better  preserves.) 

(C)  How  the  Department  helps  on  the  farm:  — 

Advises  as  to  what  crops  to  grow  on  sandy,  or 
wet,  or  rocky  soils;  how  to  care  for  shade  trees  and 
shrubs;  how  to  fight  insect  pests  and  domestic 
animal  diseases;  birds  that  are  scavengers  for  the 
farm;  economic  value  of  birds;  kitchen  gardening 
and  truck  soil;  distribution  of  fl.ower  seeds  and  veg- 
etable seeds,  bulbs  and  cuttings;  use  of  fertilizer, 
when  to  use  and  when  not  to  use,  what  to  use  and 
what  not  to  use. 


Ill 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

As  each  and  all  of  the  bureaus  under  the  supervi- 
sion of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  offer  most 
interesting  subjects  for  investigation,  three  have 
been  chosen  as  examples  of  what  may  be  done  with 
all  of  these  agencies. 

The  Forest  Service 

Because  of  the  delight  of  the  forest  to  every  one, 
young  and  old,  the  teacher  may  well  take  the  Forest 
Service  as  a  special  piece  of  work  in  which  the  whole 
class  may  take  part.  Its  importance  may  be  explained 
through  a  review  of  geography.  Such  questions  as 
these  immediately  arise:  What  far-reaching  effect 
from  indiscriminate  forest  cutting?  What  is  a  flood? 
What  is  drought?  In  what  way  are  droughts  and 
floods  connected  with  forestry?  Why  do  scientists 
maintain  that  the  exhaustion  of  soil  which  produces 
barren  fields  or  poorly  yielding  farms  follows  the 
abuse  of  forest-cutting?  Why  should  water-power  be 
affected  by  forest-cutting?  What  local  effects  are 
connected  with  careless  cutting  of  trees?  Why  should 
it  affect  the  climate?  or  orchards  and  gardens,  or 
shelter  for  cattle?  In  a  country  village,  deforestation 
may  affect  the  summer  boarder.  What  benefits  will 
be  derived  from  proper  protection  of  our  forests? 
Why  should  good  roads  naturally  follow?  If  the 
forest  warden  increased  wild  game,  what  of  it?  If 
the  farmer  gets  better  crops,  and  hence  a  bigger 
market,  how  does  that  affect  the  people  in  the  city? 

112 


DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

Forest  reservations;  eminent  domain;  reforestra- 
tion;  reclamation  of  reservations;  replanting  of 
devastated  areas;  exemption  from  taxation  during 
reclaiming  process;  state  forestry  in  relation  to  fed- 
eral forestry;  fire  protection  in  the  forest;  homestead 
enactments;  European  forestry;  the  life  of  the  forest 
ranger  (see  article  in  Outlook  for  October  28,  1905); 
relation  of  Forestry  Department  to  lumbermen, 
stockmen,  miners,  and  farmers;  the  Forestry  Service 
and  the  Bureau  of  Entomology. 

Bureau  of  Entomology 

If  the  class  wished  to  spend  a  little  more  time  upon 
the  subject  of  what  the  Department  of  Agriculture 
is  doing  for  community  life,  the  teacher  may  well 
take  up  the  very  simple  but  important  topic  of  the 
work  done  to  prevent  injurious  insects  from  becom- 
ing pests  in  various  localities.  In  most  cities  and 
towns  in  New  England  the  children  themselves  have 
taken  part  in  the  fight  against  the  g)^sy  moth  and 
the  browntail  moth.  They  will  find  in  studying  fur- 
ther into  the  particular  work  of  this  bureau  that 
everywhere  there  seem  to  be  injurious  and  poisonous 
insects  making  raids  upon  trees  and  slurubs  and 
vegetables. 

TOPICS   FOR  THE   BLACKBOARD 

Investigation  of  insects  in  their  direct  relation  to 
the  health  of  man  and  domestic  animals;  of  insects 

113 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

affecting  vegetable  crops;  insects  damaging  decidu- 
ous fruit  trees;  insects  at  work  on  cereals;  injurious 
insects  in  the  forests,  shade  trees,  and  shrubs;  insects 
affecting  citron  fruits;  insects  upon  rice  and  cotton, 
upon  stored  products;  the  importation  of  useful  in- 
sects and  parasites  which  kill  the  injurious  insects; 
the  stud}'  and  work  on  furthering  bee  culture. 

The  Weather  Bureau 

Ever)rwhere  in  country  village  or  large  city  chil- 
dren have  access  to  weather  maps.  In  some  schools 
these  maps  are  constantly  used  in  connection  with 
the  study  of  geography;  the  children  have  general 
information  on  which  to  draw  for  answers  to  these 
questions.  If  this  bureau  can  foretell  the  weather  for 
all  the  different  States,  how  is  that  a  help  to  every 
one  in  general?  What  peculiar  help  is  it  to  sailors  at 
sea,  to  farmers  in  times  of  frost,  and  to  fruit-growers? 
If  the  Weather  Bureau  announces  that  a  big  freeze  is 
likely  to  sweep  across  a  district  where  cranberries  are 
growing  in  the  autumn,  what  can  the  cranberry- 
growers  do?  What  would  grape-growers  do  at  such 
a  time?  If  the  Weather  Bureau  notifies  by  wireless 
telegraphy  the  captain  of  a  coastwise  merchant  ves- 
sel that  a  hurricane  is  likely  to  develop,  what  pre- 
cautions could  be  taken? 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

Daily  forecasts;  weekly  forecasts;  indications  of 
storms  of  tropical  character;  cold-wave  warnings, 

114 


DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE 

and  of  mountain  snowfalls;  marine  meteorological 
charts;  climatological  reports;  river  and  flood  service; 
frost  studies,  and  warnings;  vessel-reporting  service; 
evaporation  studies;  forest  and  rainfall  investiga- 
tion; exploration  of  upper  air  with  kites  and  balloons; 
observatories;  experimental  stations. 


HELPFUL   READINGS 
Forestry  — 

Reports  of  the  Federal  Bureau  of  Forestry. 

Reports  of  State  Bureaus  of  Forestry. 

Catalogues  of  College  Departments  of  Forestry. 

Magazine  articles.  (These  articles  to  be  cut  out,  bound 
in  manila  paper,  and  kept  on  file.) 

Theodore  Roosevelt,  Dynamic  Geographer,  F.  B.  Vroo- 
man,  Henry  Frowde,  Oxford  University,  Eng. 

See  Poole's  Index  for  past  magazine  articles. 
Agriculture  — 

Annual  Reports  of  the  Secretary  of  Agriculture. 

Reports  of  State  Colleges  and  Universities  of  Agricul- 
ture. 

Special  United  States  Bulletins,  Circulars,  Reprints, 
and  Publications  issued  by  the  Bureaus  of  the 
Department  of  Agriculture. 

William  B.  Guitteau,  Government  and  Politics  in  the 
United  States;  and  Preparing  for  Citizenship.  Hough- 
ton Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 

Albert  Bushnell  Hart,  Actual  Government.  Longmans, 
Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 

James  and  Sanford,  Government  in  State  and  Nation, 
Chas.  Scribner's  Sons,  New  York, 


"5 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

i8.  The  Department  of  Commerce 

Introductory  discussion 

When  a  ship  is  coming  into  our  ports  with 
goods  from  other  countries,  what  helps  to  make 
the  arrival  one  of  safety?  Why  should  we  need 
coast  pilots,  tide-tables,  lighthouses,  and  coast 
surveys?  Why  should  the  Government  light 
rivers,  and  keep  up  buoys?  Why  are  steamboat 
investigations  necessary?  Why  should  the  Gov- 
ernment constantly  supervise  waterways,  canals, 
railways  and  railroads,  which  they  do  not  own, 
and  which  are  controlled  by  private  corporations? 
Why  should  surveyors  be  constantly  kept  at 
work  on  our  boundary  lines?  Why  should  there 
be  a  supervision  of  fisheries  and  of  the  fur 
trade? 

The  Department  of  Commerce  includes  many 
bureaus.  The  children  will  see  at  once  that  our 
daily  life  is  closely  connected  with  trade  and 
hence  with  shipping  and  railroading.  One  of  the 
most  important  works  under  the  direction  of  the 
Department  of  Commerce  is  that  of  the  Bureau  of 
Manufactures. 


ii6 


DEPARTMENT  OF  COMMERCE 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  International  commerce:  — 

Trade  with  grand  divisions  and  countries:  Imports 
and  exports  (raw  material,  food  products,  and  manu- 
factured articles). 

Trade  with  non-contiguous  territories  of  the 
United  States. 

Trade  between  States. 

International  transportation  (shipping  interest  all 
over  the  world).  Number  and  tonnage  of  vessels, 
American  and  foreign  sailing  vessels  and  steamships. 

Railroad  management:  Service,  rates,  speed  and 
safety  regulations. 

(B)  How  our  community  benefits  by  commerce  and 
navigation:  — 

Imports :  Sugar,  coffee,  silk,  hides,  furs,  cotton, 
wood,  fruits,  diamonds,  tin,  tobacco,  spirits,  tea, 
cocoa,  oil,  fish,  vegetables,  copper  ore,  breadstuffs, 
manufactured  goods. 

Further  discussion 

The  Department  of  Commerce  and  the  Bureau  of 
Navigation  protect  our  business  from  fraud  and 
violence.  How  does  the  United  States  control  foreign 
commerce?  What  is  the  difference  between  import, 
export,  and  excise  duties?  What  is  a  bill  of  lading? 
When  a  vessel  enters  a  port,  or  leaves  a  port,  what 
bills  must  be  paid  from  which  the  United  States 

117 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

Government  receives  an  income?  Why  does  this  seem 
justifiable?  If  possible,  visit  a  dock  and  obtain  per- 
mission to  watch  the  proceedings  of  the  arrival,  un- 
loading, and  shipping  by  railway  of  the  goods 
brought  upon  the  ship.  Note  the  processes  which  are 
federal,  state,  and  local.  If  the  class  lives  in  the  coun- 
try, make  a  similar  investigation  of  the  arrival  or 
exit  of  freight  cars,  which  are  under  interstate  com- 
merce regulations. 

HELPFUL   READINGS 

Annual  Reports  of  the  Department  of  Commerce,  Reports 

of  Interstate  ComLmerce  Commission. 
C.  D.  Wright,  Practical  Sociology  (American  Citizenship 

Series,  1900).  Longmans,  Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 
William  B.   Guitteau,  Government  and  Politics  in  the 

United  States;  and  Preparing  for  Citizenship.  Houghton 

Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 
Albert  Bushnell  Hart,  Actual  Government.   Longmans, 

Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 
James  W.   Gamer,   Government  in  the   United  States. 

American  Book  Co.,  New  York. 


118 


PEACE  AND  THE  MILITARY  SERVICE 

19.  Peace  and  the  military  service 

Introductory  discussion 

The  instructors  who  belong  to  the  Teachers' 
Peace  League,  heartily  cooperating  in  the  world 
movement  for  international  arbitration,  do  not 
need  to  feel  disloyal  to  the  cause  if  the  activities 
of  state  militia,  United  States  Marine  Corps,  and 
the  larger  agencies  of  the  War  and  Navy  Depart- 
ments are  presented  in  the  civics  class. 

*'In  times  of  peace  prepare  for  war."  Why  has 
this  saying  been  so  much  quoted?  Do  you  know 
any  young  men  who  are  volunteers  belonging  to 
the  state  militia?  The  regular  volunteers  all  over 
the  country  from  all  the  States  are  known  as  the 
National  Guard;  do  they  bear  any  relation  to 
the  regular  standing  army  of  the  United  States? 
What  does  the  word  "volunteer"  mean  when  the 
Government  declares  war?  Has  the  governor  of 
your  State  had  to  call  upon  the  regular  militia  re- 
cently, either  to  deal  with  mobs,  to  settle  strikes, 
or  to  assist  in  connection  with  floods  or  other 
great  disasters?  Do  you  know  any  persons  who 
are  interested  in  the  Red  Cross  work?  Do  you 
think  that  belonging  to  Boy  Scouts  and  Campfire 
Girls  will  make  young  people  more  ready  to  serve 

ai9 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

in  the  militia  if  necessary  and  in  the  work  of 
the  Red  Cross?  If  we  are  to  foster  the  idea  of 
disarmament  in  the  future,  what  conditions 
at  present  demand  that  the  State  and  Federal 
Governments  maintain  the  miHtia,  the  stand- 
ing army,  and  squadrons  of  well-equipped  bat- 
tleships? 

The  members  of  the  class  will  take  an  immedi- 
ate interest  in  life  at  West  Point  and  at  Annap- 
olis. Such  information  as  the  teacher  can  give 
based  upon  historical  and  geographical  data  will 
help  in  answering  the  questions :  How  is  a  cadet 
appointed  to  West  Point?  To  Annapolis?  Why 
is  such  strict  discipline  necessary  throughout  the 
course  at  these  schools?  What  courses  of  instruc- 
tion would  seem  necessary  and  fitting? 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  The  War  Department :  — 

The  Adjutant-General  (in  charge  of  matters  relating 
to  soldiers) ;  Quartermaster-General  (in  charge  of  mat- 
ters relating  to  horses,  etc.) ;  Commissary-General  (in 
charge  of  matters  relating  to  foods  and  rations); 
Surgeon-General  {m  charge  of  matters  relating  to 
medical  care  and  hospitals) ;  the  Bureau  of  Forts  and 
Bridges,  the  Bureau  of  Ordnance  and  Guns,  the 
Bureau  of  Artillery,  the  Bureau  of  Courts-Martial 
(under  the  Judge  Advocate-General),  the  Bureau  of 

1 20 


PEACE  AND  THE  MILITARY  SERVICE 

Signal  Service,  the  Weather  Bureau,  Paymaster- 
General  (has  the  care  of  finances). 

State  Militia.  Its  direct  relationship  to  Federal 
Government  in  times  of  peace;  relationship  in  times 
of  war;  state  encampment;  relationship  between 
militia  and  naval  operations. 

Further  discussion 

Can  you  locate  our  most  important  forts?  What 
is  meant  by  military  operations  in  times  of  peace? 
Why  do  we  need  coaling  stations  in  foreign  countries? 
Why  do  we  need  dry  docks,  and  repair  shops?  Where 
are  some  of  our  most  important  foreign  naval  head- 
quarters? When  one  becomes  an  American  citizen, 
either  by  naturalization,  birth,  or  annexation,  does 
he  assume  any  obligation  to  serve  in  times  of  war? 
Does  our  navy  need  able-bodied  men?  What  are  the 
advantages  to  a  citizen  who  chooses  as  his  life's  work 
to  serve  in  the  marines  or  the  army?  What  great  dis- 
advantages are  there  also?  Who  are  the  marines? 
What  are  arsenals,  navy  yards,  magazines,  and 
receiving  ships?  Our  marines  are  constantly  being 
sent  upon  expedition  work,  and  upon  emergency  calls 
for  protection  of  interests  and  lives  of  American  citi- 
zens; they  are  sent  on  cruising  battleships,  and  often 
undergo  great  hardships.  A  marine  must  be  drilled 
to  shootperfectly;  rifle  teams  are  encouraged  in  order 
to  produce  fine  marksmanship.  Did  you  ever  visit  a 
navy  yard?  On  entering  the  marine  service  boys  take 
a  pledge  to  "defend  the  colors."  Do  you  think  ordi- 

121 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

nary  schoolboys  understand  what  that  means?  Men 
who  have  become  skilled  laborers  in  the  naval  service 
are  called  warrant  officers;  they  enter  as  enlisted 
men,  but  because  of  their  increasing  value  as  work- 
men, they  become  indispensable  to  the  department 
—  boatswains,  makers  of  sail,  carpenters,  and  such 
laborers  are  very  necessary  in  the  navy. 

(B)  The  Navy  Department :  — 

Bureau  of  Navigation,  Bureau  of  Yards  and  Docks, 
Bureau  of  Equipment  and  Recruiting,  Bureau  of 
Ordnance  (guns,  powder,  ammunition,  projectiles, 
torpedoes,  mines,  aeroplanes).  Bureau  of  Construc- 
tion and  Repairs,  Bureau  of  Steam  Engineering, 
Bureau  of  Supplies  and  Accounts  (clothes,  food,  shel- 
ter, etc.),  Bureau  of  Medicine  and  Surgery  (hygiene, 
sanitation,  and  relation  to  Red  Cross). 

Land  and  naval  forces.  At  home,  —  for  protection 
of  coasts  and  boundaries;  for  development  of  land 
and  sea  construction;  for  engineering;  for  service  on 
roads,  harbors,  canals,  rivers,  etc. 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

What  the  War  Department  has  done  for  the 
Philippines,  Porto  Rico,  and  Hawaii.  The  Panama 
Canal  and  its  federal  protection.  Coast  artillery  in 
times  of  peace.  Improved  tactics  for  the  army  and 
the  navy.  The  story  of  the  first  Peace  Conference. 
Work  of  the  American  Peace  League.  Peace  heroes. 

122 


PEACE  AND  THE  MILITARY  SERVICE 

The  disastrous  effects  of  the  present  European  war 
upon  the  countries  involved. 


HELPFUL  READINGS 

Annual  Reports  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  Secretary  of  the  Interior. 

Theodore  Roosevelt,  American  Ideals. 

Lucia  A.  Mead,  A  Primer  of  the  Peace  Movement.  Ameri- 
can Peace  Society,  Boston. 

A  Course  in  Citizenship.  Authorized  by  the  American 
School  Peace  League.  Houghton  Miffin  Co.,  Boston. 

Reports  and  documents  published  by  the  American 
Peace  League  and  by  World  Peace  Foundation. 

David  Starr  Jordan  and  H.  E.  Jordan,  War^s  Aftermath, 
Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 

William  B.  Guitteau,  Government  and  Politics  in  the 
United  States.  Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 

R.  L.  Ashley,  Government  and  the  Citizen.  The  Macmillan 
Co.,  New  York. 

C.  F.  Dole,  The  American  Citizen.  D.  C.  Heath  &  Co., 
Boston. 

James  W.  Garner,  Government  in  the  United  States.  Amer- 
ican Book  Co.,  New  York. 

Jesse  Macy,  Our  Government.  Ginn  &  Co.,"  Boston. 

Carnegie  Endowment  for  International  Peace,  Year-Book^ 
1912. 


123 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

20.  The  Department  of  the  Interior 

Introductory  discussion 

When  the  children  hear  of  the  Department  of 
the  Interior,  they  may  seem  to  think  that  such 
an  agency  is  very  far  away  from  their  everyday 
experiences;  but  the  first  questions  will  bring 
them  into  close  touch  with  the  work  of  the  vari- 
ous bureaus  of  the  department.  Do  you  know  of 
any  one  who  has  a  pension?  Why  should  he  or 
she  receive  such?  Or  again,  another  question 
immediately  receives  response:  What  things  do 
you  have  in  your  house  or  barn  or  garage  that 
have  patent  marks  upon  them?  Is  there  anything 
in  this  room  with  patent  marks?  Why  are  pat- 
ents taken  out  under  the  authority  of  the  Gov- 
ernment? What  is  meant  by  the  copyright  of 
a  book?  Look  at  your  textbooks  and  find  the 
copyright  notices  in  them.  Why  do  we  copyright 
books? 

Another  set  of  questions,  which  will  interest 
the  class,  although  they  may  never  have  seen 
the  American  red  men  outside  of  circuses,  are  as 
follows:  Throughout  the  great  West  there  are 
Indian  reservations;  who  has  charge  of  these 
reservations  and  who  governs  the  Indians?  How 

124 


DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  INTERIOR 

does  the  Indian  become  an  American  citizen? 
The  Government  protects  Indians  against  what 
kind  of  frauds? 

In  fact  the  class  finds,  as  they  study  the  vari- 
ous agencies  at  work  in  the  name  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Interior,  that  not  only  they  have 
already  touched  these  agencies  in  their  geography 
and  history  lessons,  but  that  all  round  them  there 
is  a  constant  relationship  to  their  activities. 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  The  Department  of  the  Interior :  — 

Bureaus.  Land  Office.  Patent  Office.  Pension 
Office.  Geological  Survey.  Reclamation  Service. 
Bureau  of  Mines.  National  Parks  and  Reservations. 
Territories  (including  Hawaii  and  excluding  insular 
possessions).  Indian  Affairs.  Education.  Hospitals 
for  federal  soldiers  and  dependents.  American  an- 
tiquities (see  historic  ships,  houses,  etc.).  Capitol 
Buildings  and  Grounds.  Howard  University. 

Further  discussion 

As  it  is  impossible  to  take  into  consideration  the 
work  of  all  and  each  of  these  bureaus,  the  Patent 
Office,  the  Pensions,  and  the  Indians  seem  to  offer 
the  most  varied  fields  of  work,  although  Parks  and 
Reservations  appeal  to  the  class,  and  if  they  have 
not  been  discussed  in  the  chapter  on  Parks  and  Play- 

125 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

grounds,  it  is  well  to  investigate  to  some  extent  the 
subject  in  its  close  connection  with  the  Department 
of  the  Interior. 

Patent  Office 

Applications  for  patent  for  invention;  applications 
for  patent  for  designs;  applications  for  reissue  of 
patents;  applications  for  registration  of  prints;  trade- 
marks; registration  of  labels. 

Requirements:  To  file  with  each  application  a  signed 
and  attested  drawing,  together  with  two  photo- 
graphic copies  of  such  signed  and  attested  drawing. 

Pensions 

War  of  Revolution  (based  on  estimates);  War  of 
1 812  (service  pension) ;  Indian  wars  (service  pension) ; 
War  with  Mexico  (service  pension) ;  Civil  War  (serv- 
ice pension) ;  Spanish  War  (service  pension) ;  Regu- 
lar Establishment  (army  and  navy  service). 

Prevention  of  fraud:  By  strict  identification  and  in- 
dorsement; strict  provisions  for  punishment  of  fraud. 

Indian  Service 

Three  hundred  and  twenty-three  thousand  In- 
dians, one  third  of  whom  belong  to  the  Five  Civil- 
ized Tribes  in  Oklahoma. 

Aims.  To  preserve  and  develop  Indian  property; 
to  develop  citizenship;  to  lift  standards  of  living  by 
industrial  training,  general  education,  and  super- 
vision of  health  and  morals. 

126 


DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  INTERIOR 

Special  agencies.  Care  of  allotted  and  unallot- 
ted land;  development  of  soils;  irrigation;  forestry; 
timber  depredations ;  construction  of  schools  and 
churches;  advance  of  agriculture  and  stock-raising. 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

Work  of  the  Rosebud  Reservation.  Life  in  an 
Indian  school.  Reclamation  of  desert  land.  Field 
service  with  the  Geological  Survey.  Agricultural 
possibilities  in  Alaska.  What  the  Federal  Bureau  of 
Education  is  doing  for  the  school  children. 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

Annual  Reports  of  the  Department  of  the  Interior,  and 
of  special  bureaus  under  the  Department. 

Reports  from  Indian  schools  and  colleges. 

American  histories  discussing  our  boiuidaries  and  our 
colonial  possessions. 

Albert  Bushnell  Hart,  Actual  Government.  Longmans, 
Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 

W.  W.  Willoughby,  Rights  and  Duties  of  American  Citizen- 
ship. American  Book  Co.,  New  York. 

William  B.  Guitteau,  Government  and  Politics  in  the 
United  States.  Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 

James  and  Sanford,  Government  in  State  and  Nation, 
Chas.  Scribner's  Sons,  New  York.  ^ 


127 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

21.  The  Department  of  State 

Introductory  discussion 

The  newspapers,  weeklies,  and  current  maga- 
zines come  into  the  homes  of  almost  all  children. 
Foreign  news  and  domestic  affairs  appear  in  big 
headlines.  Moreover,  the  history  and  geography 
work  constantly  refers  to  treaties  and  interna- 
tional relationship.  The  children  of  foreigners 
know  the  word  "consul"  and  all  that  it  means 
in  the  way  of  possible  protection.  The  consular 
service  is  a  point  of  so  much  and  so  varied  inter- 
est it  offers  a  group  of  questions  at  once  as  an  ap- 
proach to  the  lesson. 

There  are  over  twelve  hundred  officials  in  the 
consular  service  of  the  United  States.  Why 
should  we  need  so  many  consuls  sent  to  ports  and 
cities  all  over  the  world?  Why  should  so  many 
consuls  represent  foreign  countries  in  our  ports 
and  inland  cities?  In  times  of  peace,  do  our  con- 
suls have  other  interests  besides  protecting  our 
seamen  and  serving  American  citizens  who  are 
traveling  abroad  and  connected  with  business 
interests  in  foreign  countries?  (If  the  class  has 
made  a  close  study  of  the  activities  of  the 
Agricultural  Department,  they  will  already  know 

128 


THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE 

much  about  the  reports  sent  by  the  consuls  which 
describe  most  graphically  the  work  of  the  great 
markets  abroad  and  the  natural  development 
which  is  going  on  in  foreign  countries  in  com- 
petition with  the  United  States.)  If  a  consul  is 
situated  in  certain  non-Christian  territory,  he 
has  jurisdiction  over  all  criminal  cases  where 
American  citizens  are  involved;  why  is  this  nec- 
essary? On  the  other  hand,  our  immigrants,  and 
foreign  persons  who  are  traveling  in  the  country, 
present  themselves  in  the  United  States  to  the 
protection  of  their  representatives,  both  foreign 
ministers  and  foreign  consuls;  why  is  this  so  very 
necessary?  What  different  service  is  rendered  by 
a  minister  to  another  country  and  by  a  consul  in 
the  same  country?  When  does  it  become  neces- 
sary to  use  the  title  "ambassador"?  Who  are 
envoys  extraordinary,  and  ministers  plenipoten- 
tiary? Who  are  charges  d^af  aires  ? 

TOPICS  FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

{A)  Diplomatic  service :  — 

Four  grades  of  officials  with  rank  as  follows: 
Ambassadors,  Envoys  Extraordinary,  Ministers 
Plenipotentiary,  and  Charges  d^ Affaires. 

Consular  Service :  — 

Consuls-General,  Consuls,  Consular  Agents. 

129 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

Official  duties  of  the  Department :  — 

Treaty-making  in  conjunction  with  the  President 
and  the  Cabinet  and  the  Senate. 

To  uphold  the  honor  of  the  United  States. 

To  investigate  international  relations. 

To  investigate  possible  insults. 

To  recall  consuls  and  ministers  in  time  of  war. 

To  give  recognition  to  new  countries.  (See  Chinese 
Republic,  Albania,  etc.) 

To  control  all  proclamations  admitting  new  States 
to  the  Union. 

To  control  trade  relations  between  South  American 
countries  and  the  United  States,  Atlantic  and  Gulf 
seaports. 

To  conduct  all  correspondence  of  the  United 
States  with  colonies  and  foreign  countries. 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

The  Seal  of  the  United  States.  The  Peace  Confer- 
ence of  Portsmouth.  The  A.  B.  C.  Conference  in  Ni- 
agara Falls.  Making  a  new  State  (Oklahoma).  The 
homes  of  our  diplomatic  members  abroad.  Visits  to 
foreign  ambassadors  at  Washington.  Letters  written 
from  members  of  the  diplomatic  service  or  consular 
service  abroad  (William  Dean  Howells,  James 
Russell  Lowell,  Nathaniel  Hawthorne,  and  others). 
The  work  of  John  Hay,  and  "The  Open  Door." 


130 


THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

Annual  Reports  of  the  Secretary  of  State. 

Reports  of  the  Bureau  of  Consular  Service  and  Diplo- 
matic Service. 

James  W.  Garner,  Government  in  the  United  States.  Amer- 
ican Book  Co.,  New  York. 

Jesse  Macy,  Our  Government.  Ginn  &  Co.,  Boston. 

C.  F.  Dole,  The  American  Citizen.  D.  C.  Heath  &  Co., 
Boston. 

William  B.  Guitteau,  Government  and  Politics  in  the 
United  States.  Houghton  MiflBiin  Co.,  Boston. 

James  Bryce,  The  American  Commonwealth.  The  Mac- 
millan  Co.,  New  York. 

James  and  Sanford,  Government  in  State  and  Nation. 
Chas.  Scribner's  Sons,  New  York. 

Albert  Bushnell  Hart,  Actual  Government.    Longmans, 

f    Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 

John  W.  Foster,  A  Century  of  American  Diplomacy. 
Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 


131 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

22.  Civil  Service 

Introductory  discussion 

There  is  no  reason  why  the  pupils  in  schools 
should  not  be  taught  to  look  forward  to  serving 
the  Government  as  well  as  to  farming,  or  to  a 
trade  or  to  a  profession.  Teachers  will  be  render- 
ing a  service  to  the  country  and  to  the  individual 
pupil  if  they  present  the  activities  of  the  Civil 
Service  Bureau  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  an 
appeal  to  the  student  which  will  some  day  lead 
him  to  take  the  examination  in  the  classified  serv- 
ice. There  are  more  than  236,000  federal  offi- 
cials and  employees,  all  of  them  working  in  rela- 
tion to  the  cabinet  departments.  Most  of  these 
employees  have  passed  civil  service  examinations. 
Each  State  has  also  adopted  the  idea  of  civil  serv- 
ice, and  in  cities  and  towns  the  political  pull 
which  had  developed  out  of  the  spoils  system  has 
been  in  great  part  done  away  with. 

Do  policemen  and  firemen  in  your  town  pass 
the  state  civil  service  examinations  in  order  to 
hold  their  positions?  Are  the  clerks  in  the  mu- 
nicipal government  also  imder  the  civil  service 
rules?  Why  should  there  be  "classified  service '7 
Why  should  the  examinations  for  the  four  groups 

132 


CIVIL  SERVICE 

of  clerks  in  the  classified  service  be  subject  to 
very  different  kinds  of  examinations?  In  order 
to  meet  the  civil  service  examinations  the  candi- 
date presents  himself  before  a  committee  of  three 
persons,  not  more  than  two  of  whom  shall  be  of 
the  same  party  in  politics.  Why  is  this?  When 
the  spoils  system  settled  the  matter  of  Govern- 
ment employees,  what  happened  every  four  years? 
In  municipal  politics,  if  the  men  were  exchanged 
every  year  or  two  because  of  their  party,  what 
would  occur  in  all  probability?  A  man  in  the 
classified  service  has  an  entire  right  to  vote  as  he 
pleases,  and  to  express  privately  his  opinions  on 
all  political  subjects,  but  he  should  not  take  any 
active  part  in  political  management  or  in  political 
campaigns,  for  precisely  the  same  reason  that  a 
judge,  an  army  officer,  a  regular  soldier,  or  a 
policeman  is  debarred  from  taking  such  active 
part.  It  leaves  him  free  to  vote,  to  think,  and  to 
speak  privately  as  he  chooses,  but  it  prevents 
him  while  in  the  service  of  the  whole  country  from 
turning  his  official  position  to  the  benefit  of  one 
of  the  parties  into  which  the  whole  country  is 
divided;  and  in  no  other  way  can  this  be  pre- 
vented. 


^33 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

TOPICS  FOR   THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  Civil  Service:  — 

The  Federal  Commission.  Appointed  by  Govern- 
ment. 

Duties:  To  appoint  examiners;  to  arrange  for  exam- 
inations; to  appoint  minor  registers,  and  so  on;  to 
make  reports  to  the  Government;  to  keep  records; 
to  make  necessary  investigations  and  to  summon 
witnesses;  to  take  oaths  and  testimony  when  neces- 
sary. Has  the  right  to  make  rules  and  regulations. 

Applications  for  positions:  Statement  of  names: 
names  of  parents,  birthplace,  occupation,  citizenship. 

Examinations:  (i)  An  educational  test  by  exami- 
nation.  (2)  A  physical  test. 

Promotions :  According  to  rules  made  by  commis- 
sioners, based  upon  length  of  service  and  good 
behavior. 

Veterans^  preference :  (This  topic  may  be  offered  by 
a  boy  whose  grandfather  served  in  the  army  and 
navy  during  the  Civil  War.) 

(As  the  States  have  passed  acts  which  give  to  their 
governors  the  right  to  appoint  a  state  commission, 
all  cities  which  choose  to  use  the  civil  service  pro- 
cedure turn  to  the  state  commission  for  the  laws,  the 
examinations,  and  extension  of  the  state  regulations. 
This  gives  uniformity  throughout  the  State  and  in 
every  case  the  rules  agree  with  the  federal  regula- 
tions.) 


134 


CIVIL  SERVICE 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

The  spoils  system  under  Jackson.  The  history  of 
the  Civil  Service  Reform  Movement.  Story  of  a 
clerk  employee  in  the  Department  of  Agriculture  (his 
opportunity  in  research  to  advance  the  health  and 
opportunities  and  standards  of  the  farming  popula- 
tion all  over  the  United  States).  The  clerkship  in  the 
consular  service  (the  adventures  of  a  young  man  who 
wishes  to  see  the  big  world).  A  clerkship  in  the 
diplomatic  service. 

HELPFUL   READINGS 

Annual  Reports  of  Federal  Civil  Service  Commission. 

State  Reports  of  Civil  Service  Commissions. 

Albert  Bushnell  Hart,  Actual  Government.  Longmans, 
Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 

W.  W.  Willoughby,  Rights  and  Duties  of  American  Citizen- 
ship. American  Book  Co.,  New  York. 

C.  F.  Dole,  The  American  Citizen.  D.  C.  Heath  &  Co., 
Boston. 

James  and  Sanford,  Government  in  State  and  Nation. 
Chas.  Scribner's  Sons.  New  York. 

Printed  bulletins  issued  by  Civil  Service  Reform  Associa- 
tions. 


135 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

23.  The  Treasury  Department 

Introductory  discussion 

Who  has  any  money  in  his  pocket?  Coppers, 
nickels,  dimes,  quarters,  half-dollars,  silver  dol- 
lars, paper  money?  The  questions  come  thick 
and  fast  when  the  teacher  discusses  the  varied 
activities  of  the  Treasury  Department.  The  Mint 
is,  of  course,  the  first  bureau  which  the  children 
will  enjoy  investigating.  From  the  time  the 
money  is  mined  until  it  jingles  in  his  pocket  the 
process  is  entertaining  as  well  as  instructive.  If 
the  teacher  lives  near  a  bank  and  can  borrow  all 
kinds  of  bank  notes  and  certificates,  coins  and  un- 
usual gold  pieces,  she  will  find  the  members  of  the 
class  much  interested.  Studying  the  facts  of  Gov- 
ernment paper  money  will  lead  to  a  discussion  of 
the  Bureau  of  Engraving  and  Printing,  and  the 
question  of  counterfeits,  and  the  secret  service 
division.  Then  will  follow  topics  upon  revenue 
and  customs,  national  banks  and  financial  budg- 
ets. If  it  costs  our  nation  more  than  two  billions 
of  dollars  to  pay  the  bills  of  all  the  departments 
represented  in  the  cabinet,  these  questions  will 
naturally  arise:  Where  did  all  that  money  come 
from?  To  what  department  did  the  apportion- 

136 


THE  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT 

ment  go?  This  group  of  lessons  will  be  very 
closely  allied  to  history;  the  Federal  Constitu- 
tion will  be  needed  in  the  class  in  order  that  the 
children  may  note  that  Congress  has  a  right  to 
levy  and  collect  taxes,  to  borrow  money,  to  coin 
money,  and  to  make  laws  concerning  bankruptcy. 

TOPICS   FOR  THE  BLACKBOARD 

(A)  The  Treasury  Department :  — 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  two  Assistant 
Secretaries,  two  Comptrollers,  six  Auditors,  one 
Treasurer,  one  Register,  Commissioner  of  Customs, 
Commissioner  of  Internal  Revenue,  Comptroller  of 
Currency,  National  Banks,  the  Mint,  Bureau  of  En- 
graving and  Printing,  Bureau  of  Statistics,  Revenue 
Cutter  Service. 

Further  discussion 

The  most  vital  topic  among  the  preceding  ones  to 
discuss  before  the  class  is  the  matter  of  customs 
houses  and  smuggling.  Our  national  system  of  taxa- 
tion, indirect  and  hardly  felt  by  the  majority  of 
people,  is  a  far  better  system  than  exists  in  most 
countries.  To  attempt  to  evade  duties  is  not  only  a 
crime,  but  an  evidence  of  disloyalty  to  our  country 
and  institutions.  Is  a  man  truly  patriotic  who  puts 
out  an  American  flag  on  holidays,  but  attempts  to 
bring  into  the  country  undeclared  goods  for  which 
he  should  pay  customs  duties?    Why  are  customs 

137 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

duties  between  the  Philippines  and  the  United  States 
of  exactly  the  same  importance  as  those  between 
England  and  the  United  States?  What  is  the  greatest 
temptation  for  inspectors  at  the  wharves?  What  hap- 
pens if  the  appraisement  of  goods  is  deemed  unjust? 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

The  story  of  the  Postal  Savings  Banks.  What 
makes  a  panic?  The  need  of  a  gold  standard.  Gov- 
ernment ownership  of  gold  mines. 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

Annual  Reports  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

Annual  Reports  of  State  Treasury  Departments. 

William  B.  Guitteau,  Government  and  Politics  in  the 
United  States.  Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 

Albert  Bushnell  Hart,  Actiial  Government.  Longmans, 
Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 

C.  F.  Dole,  The  American  Citizen.  D.  C.  Heath  &  Co., 
Boston. 

James  and  Sanford,  Government  in  State  and  Nation. 
Chas.  Scribner's  Sons,  New  York. 

Jesse  Macy,  Our  Government.  Ginn  &  Co.,  Boston. 

James  Bryce,  The  American  Commonwealth.  The  Mac- 
millan  Co.,  New  York. 

James  W.  Garner,  Government  in  the  United  States.  Amer- 
ican Book  Co.,  New  York. 


138 


THE  MACHINERY  OF  GOVERNMENT 

24.  The  machinery  of  government 

Introductory  discussion 

That  there  is  a  mayor  or  a  commission  to  gov- 
ern the  city,  or  that  selectmen  govern  a  town,  is 
no  new  fact  to  the  children  who  are  old  enough 
to  study  community  civics.  But  just  how  the 
authority  has  come  about,  and  why  we  are  con- 
stantly saying  that  a  democracy  is  a  government 
of  the  people,  for  the  people,  and  by  the  people, 
may  not  be  wholly  understood.  Questions  will 
soon  set  the  class  to  thinking.  Who  is  the  mayor  of 
our  city?  Or  who  are  the  selectmen  of  the  town? 
Or  have  we  a  commission  form  of  government? 
How  did  the  persons  holding  these  positions 
receive  their  authority?  What  other  positions 
in  the  municipality  are  conferred  by  election? 
What  positions  in  the  government  are  held  by 
appointment?  Where  a  city  has  a  large  coun- 
cil or  a  board  of  aldermen  and  a  board  of  coun- 
cilors together,  what  harm  may  grow  up  that 
cannot  easily  be  traced  by  the  people?  Why 
should  positions  upon  school  boards  be  a  matter 
for  election  instead  of  appointment?  Does  the 
Water  Board  receive  its  authority  from  the  peo- 
ple upon  election  or  by  appointment?  How  are 

139 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

other  municipal  departments  filled?  What  are 
the  municipal  departments?  Why  are  cities  re- 
organizing their  charters,  or  making  new  charters 
altogether?  What  party  politics  are  most  in  evi- 
dence in  your  city  or  town?  Does  a  party  have  to 
receive  any  state  authority  before  calling  together 
its  members  at  a  caucus?  What  is  meant  by  a 
caucus  or  primary?  Why  are  "direct  primaries" 
becoming  more  and  more  important  as  a  means  to 
express  a  people's  wishes.  What  is  meant  by  a 
city  committee  of  any  political  party?  a  state 
committee?  the  national  committee?  What  big 
parties  have  these  committees  at  work  all  the 
time?  Are  such  organizations  necessary?  What 
financial  support  is  given  to  these  committees? 
From  what  source  does  such  support  come?  Why 
should  federal  and  state  civil  service  clerks  and 
officials  holding  any  government  position  be  de- 
nied the  privilege  of  giving  financial  support 
to  political  committees?  If  a  national  committee 
of  any  party  wishes  to  bring  about  a  presidential 
convention,  what  steps  are  taken  through  the 
committees  to  send  delegates  to  the  convention? 

TOPICS   FOR   THE   BLACKBOARD 

Caucus  or  primary,  nomination,  campaign  work 
(oratory,  literature,  parades),  election. 

140 


THE  MACHINERY  OF  GOVERNMENT 

City  committee,  county  committee,  state  commit- 
tee, national  committee. 

Primaries,  county  conventions,  state  conventions, 
national  conventions,  the  meeting  of  the  electors, 
presidential  election. 

Primaries,  state  officials,  governor,  nomination, 
election. 

• 
Discussion 

Who  may  vote?  What  is  a  ballot?  What  is  the 
Australian  ballot?  What  is  the  voting  booth?  What 
are  polling  places?  What  is  registration?  What  is  a 
challenge?  How  are  the  votes  counted?  What  is  a 
recount?  What'is  a  party  boss?  What  is  the  differ- 
ence between  a  party  boss  and  leadership  in  political 
life?  What  do  we  mean  by  "stand  pat?"  By 
"straight  party  ticket"?  By  a  "slate"?  By  the 
"machine"?  By  corrupt  voting?  By  bribery?  What 
is  meant  by  a  "  split  ticket "?  By  non-partisan  clubs? 
By  citizens'  movements?  By  the  recall?  By  the 
referendum?  By  the  initiative?  In  how  many  States 
do  women  vote  under  the  same  conditions  as  do  men? 
What  are  the  obligations  of  the  honest  voter?  What 
is  graft?  What  kinds  of  graft  are  there  beside  gifts  of 
money?  Why  should  every  citizen  who  votes  feel 
that  he  has  a  high  and  noble  privilege? 

How  does  the  representative  from  our  ward  or  dis- 
trict through  the  legislature  affect  our  community 
life?  Do  you  know  whom  the  voters  chose  at  the  last 
election  to  represent  us  at  the  State  House?  What 

141 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

does  he  stand  for  politically?  What  immediate  inter- 
ests in  our  community  ought  to  be  furthered  and 
bettered  by  his  influence  in  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives? Who  is  the  senator  from  our  district?  Why 
was  he  chosen?  What  is  his  important  relation  be- 
tween your  district  and  the  State?  What  special 
state  officials  come  in  contact  with  the  life  in  all 
the  larger  and  smaller  communities  of  a  State?  (See 
members  of  the  State  Board  of  Health,  State  Board 
of  Charity,  etc.) 

Governor;  lieutenant-governor  (sometimes);  coun- 
cil (sometimes);  governor's  staff  (by  appointment); 
official  relationship  to  the  legislature,  the  miUtia, 
and  the  courts;  departments  of  state;  commissions; 
boards;  bureaus;  national  guard;  courts. 

Legislature,  senators  and  representatives;  official 
relationship  to  petitions;  law-making  body,  together 
with  governor. 

State  constitutions;  state  rights  and  privileges; 
rights  and  privileges  of  the  citizens  of  the  State. 

Further  discussion 

Because  of  the  study  of  United  States  history,  the 
class  will  be  pretty  well  equipped  with  data  concern- 
ing the  President,  the  cabinet  officials.  Congress,  and 
the  Supreme  Court.  Almost  at  once,  from  their  gen- 
eral information,  a  digest  for  study  will  materialize 
for  the  blackboard.  However,  before  discussing  the 
machinery  of  the  government  at  Washington,  the 
teacher  should  discover  whether  the  class  knows  who 

142 


THE  MACHINERY  OF  GOVERNMENT 

the  Congressman  is  from  the  district,  and  why  he  was 
chosen  by  the  people.  Also  who  the  senators  are,  and 
why  they  seem  to  be  men  so  important  as  to  repre^ 
sent  the  State  in  national  affairs.  What  have  recent 
Congressmen  done  for  our  district?  What  is  the  Con- 
gressman who  represents  us  now  urging  upon  Con- 
gress in  order  to  please  his  constituency  here  at 
home?  Why  do  our  Senators  take  a  stand  for  or 
against  high  tariff?  the  income  tax?  the  extension  of 
parcel  post?  higher  rates  for  railroads?  At  this  point 
the  children  will  find  it  necessary  to  read  the  news- 
papers very  carefully  in  order  to  keep  in  touch  with 
the  actual  problems  at  Washington  in  which  our 
Congressmen  and  Senators  are  taking  part. 

The  President  and  his  cabinet;  Congress,  the 
House  of  Representatives  and  senate;  important 
committees;  lobbying;  the  Congressional  Record;  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  its  interpretation, 
the  elastic  clause;  the  Monroe  Doctrine;  the  expan- 
sion of  the  United  States;  economic  problems;  gov- 
ernment control;  government  ownership;  govern- 
ment operation;  the  decisions  of  the  Supreme  Court; 
the  relation  of  the  Supreme  Court  to  state  courts  and 
to  circuit  courts. 

SPECIAL  TOPICS 

The  story  of  a  presidential  convention.  Getting 
ready  for  a  caucus.  An  election  parade.  Secret  meet- 
ings in  a  state  convention.  The  machine  government 
of  a  political  party.  The  story  of  Tammany. 

143 


THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS 

HELPFUL  READINGS 

Reports  of  the  Town. 

Reports  of  the  Municipal  Government. 

Campaign  literature  from  the  City  Committees,  from  the 

State  Committees,  from  the  National  Committees. 
Albert  Bushnell  Hart,  Actual  Government.    Longmans, 

Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 
Frederic  C.  Howe,  The  City.   Scribner's  Sons,  New  York. 
D.  F.  Wilcox,  "Party  Government  in  Cities,"  Political 

Science  Quarterly,  vol.  xrv. 
Frank  J.  Goodnow,  City  Government  in  the  United  States. 

Century  Co.,  New  York. 
James  Bryce,  American  Commonwealth.  The  Macmillan 

Co.,  New  York. 
W.  W.  Willoughby,  Rights  and  Duties  of  American  Citizen- 
ship. American  Book  Co.,  New  York. 
Jesse  Macy,  Party  Organization.  Century  Co.,  New  York. 
William  B.   Guitteau,  Government  and  Politics  in  the 

United  States.  Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  Boston. 
R.  L.  Ashley,  Government  and  the  Citizen.  The  Macmillan 

Co.,  New  York. 
John  Fiske,  Civil  Government.    Houghton   Mifflin  Co., 

Boston. 
F.  B.  Vrooman,  The  New  Politics,    Oxford  Press,  New 

York. 


OUTLINE 

PART  I.  THE  PROBLEM  OF  CIVICS  TEACHING 

I.   Civic  Education  in  the  Schools  ....  3 

1.  The  new  humanities  in  college  and  univer- 

sity         3 

2.  The  need  of  civic  education  in  elementary 

and  secondary  schools 4 

II.  Old  and  New  Methods  of  Teaching  Civics  9 

1.  The  old  method 9 

2.  Investigations  and  reports  on  civics  teaching  1 1 
III    Civics  in  Child  Life 13 

1.  Civics  in  the  home 14 

2.  Civics  on  the  playground 17 

3.  Civics  in  neighborhood  life 18 

IV.  Civics  for  Older  Pupils 20 

1.  The  extension  of  civic  interests    ....  20 

2.  Local  points  of  attack     .......  20 

3.  Converting  intelligence  into  will        ...  21 

4.  Supplementing  texts  with  other  materials  .  25 

5.  Collecting  materials  as  a  service  to  the 

school 26 

6.  The  teacher's  method  of  cooperation     .     .  28 

PART   II.    SUGGESTIONS   FOR    THE   TEACHING 
OF  CIVICS 

V.  The  Function  of  the  Suggestive  Lessons 

Presented 33 

14s 


OUTLINE 

1.  The  nature  of  the  topics  chosen  ....  33 

2.  Timeliness  in  their  use 34 

3.  The  use  of  digests  and  summaries     •     •     •  35 
VI.  Suggestive  Lessons 37 

1.  Community  health 37 

2.  Protection  of  life  and  property     ....  45 

3.  Public  highways  and  streets 49 

4.  Public  recreation 54 

^  5.  Public  education ^g 

6.  Public  Ubraries 5t 

7.  Care  of  dependents 67 

8.  Public  utilities       ya 

9.  Review  of  community  life   ......  yr 

10.  The  problem  of  immigration 80 

11.  Naturalization       8^ 

12.  Rights  and  privileges  of  citizenship       .     .  8y 

13.  Organization  of  a  Junior  Civic  League  .     .  92 

14.  Postal  service 97 

15.  The  regulation  of  labor 102 

16.  Industries 105 

17.  The  Department  of  Agriculture        .    .     .  108 

18.  The  Bureau  of  Commerce 116 

19.  Peace  and  the  military  service      .    .    .    .119 

20.  The  Department  of  the  Interior  .    .    .    .124 

21.  The  Department  of  State 128 

22.  Civil  Service 132 

23.  The  Treasury  Department 136 

24.  The  machinery  of  government     ....  139 


RIVERSIDE  EDUCATIONAL 
MONOGRAPHS 

GENERAL  EDUCATIONAL  THEORY 

Dkwiet's  moral  PKINCIPLES  IN  EDUCATION 85 

Eliot's  EDUCATION  POR  EFFICIENCY 85 

Eliot's  CONCRETE  AND  PRACTICAL  IN  MODERN  EDUCATION 36 

Emerson's  EDUCATION 86 

FiSKE's  THE  MEANING  OP  INFANCY 86 

Hyde's  THE  TEACHER'S  PHILOSOPHY 86 

Palmer's  THE  IDEAL  TEACHER 86 

Pbosser's  THE  TEACHER  AND  OLD  AOE 60 

Tkrmam's  THE  TEACHER'S  HEALTH 60 

Thobxdike's  INDIVIDUALITY 86 

ADMINISTRATION  AND  SUPERVISION  OF  SCHOOLS 

Betts'8  NEW  IDEALS  IN  RURAL  SCHOOLS 60 

Bloomfield's  VOCATIONAL  GUIDANCE  OF  YOUTH 60 

Cabot's  VOLUNTEER  HELP  TO  THE  SCHOOLS 60 

Cole's  INDUSTRIAL  EDUCATION  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 36 

CuBBEBLEY's  OHANOINO  CONCEPTIONS  OF  EDUCATION 35 

CuBBEBLEY's  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 85 

Lewis's  DEMOCRACY'S  HIGH  SCHOOL 60 

Peeby's  STATUS  OP  THE  TEACHER 86 

SiTEDDEN's  THE  PROBLEM  OF  VOCATIONAL  EDUCATION 85 

Tbowbridoe's  the  home  SCHOOL 60 

Wekks's  the  PEOPLE'S  SCHOOL 60 

METHODS  OF  TEACHING 

Bailkt's  art  education 60 

Betts's  the  recitation 60 

Campaonac's  THE  TEACHING  OF  COMPOSITION 85 

CoOLKY's  LANGUAGE  TEACHING  IN  THE  GRADES 85 

Dewey's  INTEREST  AND  EFFORT  IN  EDUCATION 60 

Eabhart's  TEACHING  CHILDREN  TO  STUDY 60 

EVAHS'S  THE  TEACHING  OF  HIGH  SCHOOL  MATHEMATICS 86 

Faibchild's  the  TEACHING  OP  POETRY  IN  THE  HIGH  SCHOOL 60 

Feeemam's  THE  TEACHING  OF  HANDWRITING 60 

Halibubtok  akB  Smith's  TEACHING  POETRY  IN  THE  GRADES 60 

Haetwell's  the  TEACHING  OF  HISTORY 86 

Haynes's  ECONOMICS  IN  THE  SECONDARY  SCHOOL 60 

Hill's  THE  TEACHING  OF  CIVICS. | 60 

Kilpatrick's  the  MONTESSORI  SYSTEM  EXAMINED 36 

Palmeb's  ETHICAL  AND  MORAL  INSTRUCTION  IN  THE  SCHOOLS..    .36 

Palmkb's  SELF-CULTIVATION  IN  ENGLISH 86 

SnrzALLO's  THE  TEACHING  OF  PRHAARY  ARITHMETIO «0 

SuxZAlLO'8  THE  TEACHINO  OF  SPELLING 60 

i8i6 


RIVERSIDE  TEXTBCX)KS 
IN  EDUCATION 

Edited  by  Ellwood  P.  Cubberley,  Head  of  the 
Department  of  Education,  Leland  Stanford,  Jr.,  University. 

The  editor  and  the  publishers  have  most  carefully  planned 
this  series  to  meet  the  needs  of  students  of  education  in 
colleges  and  universities,  in  normal  schools,  and  in  teachers' 
training  courses  in  high  schools.  The  books  will  also  be 
equally  well  adapted  to  teachers'  reading  circles  and  to  the 
wide-awake,  professionally  ambitious  superintendent  and 
teacher.  Each  book  presented  in  the  series  will  embody  the 
results  of  the  latest  research,  and  will  be  at  the  same  time 
both  scientifically  accurate,  and  simple,  clear,  and  interest- 
ing in  style. 

The  Riverside  Textbooks  in  Education  will  eventually 
contain  books  on  the  following  subjects :  — 

I.  History  of  Education.  —  2.  Public  Education  in  Amer- 
ica. —  3.  Theory  of  Education.  —  4.  Principles  of  Teaching. 

—  5.  School  and  Class  Management.  —  6.  School  Hygiene, 

—  7.  School  Administration.  —  8.  Secondary  Education.  — • 
9.  Educational   Psychology. — 10.  Educational  Sociology. 

—  II.  The  Curriculum. —  12.  Special  Methods. 

Now  Ready 
♦RURAL  LIFE  AND  EDUCATION. 

By  Ellwood  p.  CuBBHRLHV.     $i.f,o  net.    Postpaid.     Illustrated. 

♦THE  HYGIENE  OF  THE  SCHOOL  CHILD. 

By  Lewis  M.  Tbrman,  Associate  Professor  of  Education,  Leland 
Stanford  Junior  University.    $1.6$  mi.    Postpaid.     Illustrated. 

♦THE    EVOLUTION    OF    THE    EDUCATIONAL 
IDEAL. 

By  Mabel  Irbnh  Embrson,  First  Assistant  in  Charge,  George 
Bancroft  School,  Boston.    $1.00  net.    Postpaid. 

♦HEALTH   WORK  IN  THE  SCHOOLS. 

By  Ernest  B.  Hoag,  Medical  Director,  Long  Beach  City  Schools, 
California,  and  Lewis  M.  Terman.  Illustrated.  $1.60  net.  Post- 
paid. 

HOUGHTON  MIFFLIN  COMPANY 

BOSTON  NEW  YORK  CHICAGO 

1119 


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UNIVERSITY  OF^AUF9RNIA  lllBRARY 


